The Four Swords: Reminiscence
by TiggerPup91
Summary: Sequel to Reiteration. When a powerful, dark power infiltrates the light realm of Hyrule and threatens to destroy it, our Four Sword heroes are suddenly put to the ultimate test, flung into a challenging and dramatic adventure no one saw coming...
1. Exodus

**Hello everyone! Well, here it is! Chapter One of my new Four Swords fic, and sequel to Reiteration- The Four Swords: Reminiscence! :D**

**As before, I'll do my best to bring you daily updates. However, starting today, I'll be spending the next month out-of-state on vacation, so I can't guarantee that for sure until I get back.**

**P.S.: This fic is rated T due to mild vulgar language and occasional violent scenes. There will be no inappropriate scenes or references. **

**ANYWAYS. Enough of my chit-chatter, let's get to the fic, shall we? ^_^ **

**Enjoy! :D**

**-Tiggz**

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><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong> Exodus

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><p>The wind, cool and calming to the touch and to the soul, blew gently and peacefully over the quiet landscape of Castle Town. The streets were as busy, and yet as calm, as any regular day. Merchants sold their wares on carts parked by the stone-paved roads, children laughed and played with wooden swords and shields in the fields, and other town-goers bustled about with the day's various activities, some exchanging gossip and others food. The sun was high in the sky, the clouds offered occasional shade, and the flowers grew en masse across the grass, painting the town in its luscious, kaleidoscopic colors.<p>

In their time of peace, every day was like the one before it, and the one tomorrow, just like today's. There were no urgent matters of life or death, no glorious battles or adventurous heroes. The people were just content to move along with their lives, living as they would, carrying on with each day and preparing for the next. Yes, the scene of downtown Castle Town was as much normal as any other town would be, on an average day. Happy, bursting with life and excitement, and with calm assurance of the days ahead of them.

Just like every other day before it.

Life was moving on…

… Away from him.

Staring out across the small, yet lively town, the boy once more found his thoughts growing morose, despite sitting amongst the gently-blowing grass with the sun shining down radiantly upon him. He was roughly the same age as those children who played in the street- twelve, to be exact, as he counted the years in his mind, up to the present day. It was funny, he noted ironically, how he counted his age- it wasn't like the other children down there, living normal lives. Those who would remember their ages because each birthday before them brought memories of celebrating the new number. How did he remember his?

… It had been two years.

One, to be more specific, since the most recent time, plus a few months and days, but he still counted them from the very beginning. Two years since his life had changed entirely, since he had been set on a course worlds different than the happy-go-lucky kids who ran through the streets, at times upsetting a farmer's batch of chickens or running away from their parents to avoid being sent inside to dinner. He knew it, deep down in his soul, and it ate at him every day- he was different than them.

Not necessarily in a bad way, however, he thought to console himself- just, different. He smiled dryly to himself as he started to count the differences.

First and foremost… obviously, his garb. It hadn't changed in the years since then, remaining as green as the forests around him. The pointed hat of green fabric sitting overtop his flowing, golden locks of hair was the same, as well, and even to this day he wasn't comfortable unless he had both a shield and a sword strapped to his back or slung over his shoulder. The soft sounds of chain mail clinking together followed his every step, and simply stepping into a large crowd would instantly single him out as the most oddly dressed of the bunch. He was proud of his self-imposed uniform, and wouldn't change it for anything- but it was still different.

But of course, his differences ran more than just skin-deep, or cloth-deep. Behind his youthful, yet bold, blue eyes… lay the soul of a hero. And not just _a_ hero… _the_ hero.

Once more, despite himself, the boy smiled- a bit sadly, even- as he once more thought of "who" he was: Link, the Four Sword Hero, Savior of Hyrule, Vanquisher of the Evil Wind Sorcerer Vaati and King of Darkness, Ganondorf... He could go on… There were many titles he'd been given since his adventures a year ago, and then a year before that. And even the title of Four Sword hero meant much… All knew the legend of the holy sword he'd pulled, and its effects upon the child as he set out to defeat evil.

Link smiled, remembering with fondness his adventures with the four of him. The Four Sword… the sacred sword which, upon being pulled, split the young boy into four different versions of himself. Together, they'd triumphed over adversity and banished the darkness away, freeing the light from its hold and bringing peace back to the land once more. At least… that's what everyone else knew. But could they ever truly understand the deeper meaning behind the simple truth behind this split? His adventures with the four of him… They were memories no one could ever know, could ever understand. To him, they were his friends, his brothers, with whom he'd shared invaluable times with, who had gone with him to hell and back fighting the darkness and keeping together to uphold the light. To everyone else… he was simply the 'Four Sword Hero'.

And even then, he had many other names, true, but did any one of them define who he truly was? Not who Link, the Four Sword hero of Hyrule was… but Link, twelve year old Link, a kid who lived in Castle Town and whose best friend happened to be the Princess? Who'd gone on two incredible adventures with friends he may never see again, whom he'd parted ways from in order to secure peace in his land? No… none of those who lived down there, normal lives, knew who _he_ was.

… And as far as the King was concerned, none of them cared.

Once more, Link let out another sigh, looking down sadly at the town as he sat cross-legged amongst the blooms. It wasn't like he blamed the King, though… Obviously, he'd want to move on from a past of war and bloodshed. Despite Zelda's wishes, he wanted his people to move on- forget about their bloody and violent past. And in order to move on to an era of peace… they would have to leave the past behind them.

And that included Link, too.

Suddenly, a voice spoke inside the boy's mind. _Stop thinking about that!_ Link chided himself, bringing his knees up to his chest and setting his chin on his crossed arms. Frowning, he continued to berate himself, looking hopefully over towards the majestic, white towers that formed Hyrule Castle. _Who cares if you're not the big important hero anymore? The Four Sword is safe, in its pedestal. You knew what you were doing when you sealed it. And besides… You still have Zelda. _

Looking at the beautiful castle, at its glorious white stones and thinking of the Princess… his best friend since childhood, and the girl he'd had a crush on since before he could remember… He began to smile. She wouldn't forget. She'd come. He looked down at his feet, seeing a small flower gently waving in the breeze. Reaching out a hand, he lightly picked the stem of the flower out of the ground, and held it up to his eyes.

It was his birthday, after all… He turned twelve today. And she'd _never_ forget that. For as long as he'd known her, this had been their spot- the hill overlooking Castle Town. And every year, on his birthday, they'd meet secretly at this hill. She'd bring him a cake- more often than not, one she'd made herself- he'd pick flowers for her, and they'd stay out until dark, watching the clouds give way to stars, until the bumbling guards noticed she was gone, and would come to take her back.

Normally, after that night, he'd then go home, where his dad would be waiting with yet another cake, and a gift. He grinned as he remembered some of the gifts he'd gotten from his father over the years… Most recently, a year before, it had been a brand-new Hylian shield- the same one strapped to his back. He remembered how happy he was getting it- and yet, at the same time, the happy memory pulled at his heartstrings, and made him ache. That wouldn't happen tonight… His father, captain of the Hyrule Knights, had been sent out by the King some months ago on a peace mission to other lands across the sea. With some of his best knights and soldiers in tow, there was not a single worry in his mind as to his father's safety. And yet… he'd still miss his father's wide smile, loud voice, and almost crushing hug, as he returned to his home that night.

Trying to rid the thought out of his mind- he'd been gone for some months, now- the boy shook his head and sighed. Frowning, he once more turned his thoughts to Zelda. He tried to smile, hoping memories of her would make him happy- but as he looked up at the sky, his heart fell a bit once more.

…She was late, the sun was already at its peak in the sky and the town's crowd was starting to thin… But no. She wouldn't forget. Ever. Link's eyes narrowed in determination as he cemented this truth in his mind, and once more looked down at the dirt beneath him. It's possible she was just being held up by the guards, or the King, or something or another. The determination rising within him once more, he grinned, almost wildly- that characteristic smile known to belong to the bold, unafraid boy.

_Well, then, I shouldn't be sitting on my butt any longer!_ He thought to himself with a laugh, slowly getting up and brushing the dirt and grass off his tunic. Smiling once more, he nodded as he knelt down on his knees and began to brush aside the grass, seeking the hardest-to-find, smallest yet most beautiful, flowers among the hill. _Time to pick some flowers for Zelda!_

The hours passed, and it wasn't long until the boy held in his fist a bulging amount of flowers- ranging in size, color, species… everything. He'd picked the brightest and most beautiful blooms he could find, and even had painstakingly arranged them to what he believed looked the best. And yet… though the sun was now a bright, warm orange, spilling its dying rays across the quiet and still town beneath him… the Princess was still nowhere in sight.

A calm and peaceful darkness was settling upon the lonely hill, pervading the town beneath it with the stillness of night. Only a few stragglers here and there moved about the town's streets- some older kids, running around and trying to avoid being dragged inside for the night, and a few merchants, pushing their carts one last time through the streets or gathering up their supplies in preparation to pack up for the night. And as Link watched the last of them leave, the city finally settling into silence… he was finally alone.

Angrily he fought back the tears that were welling up in his eyes, just beneath the surface. His face grew hot, and with his free hand, he rubbed at his cheeks, frowning. Thoughts of doubt had begun to work their way into his mind some hours ago, but now, they were all but screaming at him. The past year, since he had last sealed the Four Sword and returned to a normal life… Ever since the King had been trying to move away from the avid worship of the Sword and of the Hero… the Princess herself had seemed to be growing distant from him.

Whether she was unable to come out of the castle to play with him, or missed an important date, or simply was too busy to even talk to him anymore… All that time, he'd been telling himself it wasn't her fault, she was trying, but she was also the Princess, and the daughter of the King… obviously, she'd have some royal responsibilities, and he'd respected that. But this… she wouldn't do this on purpose. He _knew_ her, better than anyone in the land. The anger was rising in his chest once more. Nothing would've stopped her from this- his birthday.

His fist tightened around the bunch of flowers in his grip, and, using his free hand, pushed the ground beneath him as he got up to stand. Something was wrong. Something _had_ to be wrong- he refused to think she had merely forgotten, or had just decided she had someplace else more important to be. Wasting not a second more, and still keeping a firm grip on his precious bunch of hand-picked flowers, the boy instantly began to sprint down the hill, his eyes narrowed in determination and his chest heaving with heavy breaths as he made way as fast as he could towards the castle gardens.

Over the past year, even the guards themselves, despite the boy being part of the Hyrule Knights, would refuse to let Link in the castle grounds to see Zelda. So, like any mischievous boy his age, he'd found another way- a secret path, through the stone walls of the garden. He grinned to himself as he reached the passage, moving aside a stone in one of the walls and getting down on his hands and knees. Good thing he was still small enough to fit… Squeezing through the tiny hole, he wormed his way through the opening in the wall until he was safe on the other side. He was quick to replace the stone, and, without another second's hesitation, continued to run through the gardens towards the castle- careful, of course, to avoid the guards he knew would be stationed where he'd least expect them.

It didn't take him long, then, with the break-in experience he had, to find his way to the back of the castle, where he knew Zelda's room was. Crouching behind the hedge bushes, the boy grinned in glee as he watched a guard walk nearly right past him, oblivious of the young intruder's presence. _Heh,_ he thought with a silent laugh, _No one beats me at this!_ With another grin, seeing that the guard was no longer in sight, the boy ran around the hedge, flowers still in one hand, only slowing down when he came to the foot of the castle. Tilting his head and taking a few steps back, Link looked up with wide eyes, desperate to see if he could see anything in Zelda's room…

His eyes widened. The lights were on and bright in the room, and a single shadow of a figure paced back and forth across the room. He could see nothing more than the outline of the shadow, but there was no mistaking it.

It was Zelda.

"H-Hey! Zelda!" Link cried out, suddenly finding his voice, not realizing how desperate it sounded and forgetting about keeping quiet so as not to alert the guards. No… he couldn't think about any of those. All he could think of was… Zelda was there, in her room. Why…?

Raising his arm, he waved the bunch of flowers above him and called out again, his eyes wide in confusion and despair. "Zelda! Zelda! It's me, Link! Come down!" he shouted, again and again, calling her name and asking her to come see him. His voice was loud… there was no way she wouldn't be able to hear him…

His breath caught up in his chest as he froze, seeing Zelda's shadow pause in her pacing. Had she heard him…? The seconds which ticked by seemed like hours.

But soon enough…

The shadow resumed her pacing, and, looking off to the side, paused for a moment. After another long silence, where Link, his arm fallen to his side and his eyes looking up in despair at the room, the figure he knew had to be Zelda slowly turned around… and walked out of his view.

And then he was alone, once again.

His eyes fell as he slowly looked down to the ground in empty despair and confusion. What… What had he done wrong…?

And yet, he was not alone for long.

Instantly, shouts reached his ears, and his heart skipped a beat as he whirled around, eyes wide, looking into the darkness. The soldiers had long heard Link's shouts, and were finally catching on to him, shouting and yelling to each other as they gained up on him. He could hear their cries of "Halt! Intruder!" and, panicked, suddenly found himself no longer Link, Hero of Hyrule… but a simple child, an intruder in the castle grounds.

Before he knew what he was doing, the twelve-year old boy had spun around and, eyes wide, was racing through the gardens once more, weaving through the clean-kempt woods he knew by heart, until he reached the secret passageway. Hastily shoving aside the loose stone once more, his heart pounded in his chest as he crawled through the hole. As he got out the other side, he didn't even bother closing it after him- but instead he kept running. Running and running and running… Running away from it all.

Until he had to stop, he could run no more. His lungs were set to explode, and he slowed down, eventually stopping, bending down and placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. The shouts of soldiers had stopped long ago… he knew he was no longer being chased. And as he looked around him, he realized where his panicked feet had led him to- back to the hill overlooking Castle Town.

As his heart rate slowly started to return to normal, standing up once more, he looked at the bunch of flowers in his tightly-clenched fist. His knuckles were nearly white with how tight he'd gripped them… and now, from running so quickly away, some were bent and others had petals fallen off. It was no longer the beautiful bouquet he'd so carefully made.

And as he stared at the flowers, even his anger could not stop the harsh, burning tears from trickling out of his eyes and running down his cheeks. His hand was numb, and his fingers, almost without thought, relaxed as they slowly released their captives. The flowers, useless, drifted aimlessly to the ground, falling in a random bunch on the dirt. Some stuck to his sweaty palms at first, but eventually, all of them lay in a heap by his feet.

… There was nothing left for him.

The boy stood there and cried silently to himself as he stared at the pile of torn and broken flowers, which vaguely reminded him of the torn and broken pieces of his heart. He once more glanced out towards the castle… But it no longer held that warm place in his heart, that uplifting feeling that he still had a friend, he still had her… No…

With a cold chill running down his spine, as the tears stained his cheeks, he suddenly came to his realization. Now, there was nothing left for him.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Link had turned away from the flowers and was slowly walking down the hill. His confidence had left him. As he looked around, he slowly began to realize just where his feet were taking him.

He was no longer needed here- he'd known that for some time now. But now… he knew, he was no longer wanted, either. The town, the kingdom, had moved on without him, and this, while he tried to deny it at first, was a clear fact. But now… even _she_ was moving on without him. After all… A kingdom in peace had no need for a hero of war.

And so, with the burning tears still leaving marks on his face and on his soul, looking despairingly out into the night, Link took his first steps down the hill-side, and out of the town. The sword and shield on his back were all who he needed, all who needed him…

With no more words, and with his eyes burning too much to look behind him, the hero Link set out of Castle Town, towards the night sky, leaving his land and doing what everyone else in his life had done. He was putting the past behind him.

He would leave Hyrule.

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><p><strong>What?-!-? It's the start of a new fic, so why in the world is Link trying to leave?-! What have you got planned, Tiggz?<strong>

**... -laughs evilly- Oh, this is _only_ the beginning! x)**

**Reviews are much loved, and always responded to! :D **

**If you don't think you can take the tension any longer, just wait until I upload Chapter Two: Darkness! Coming tomorrow! ^_^**


	2. Darkness

**Hey again! I'm sorry this comes so late in the day, but I'm still holding true as best I can to give you all a chapter a day. :)**

**I know everyone's wondering what's going to happen now that Link's leaving Hyrule... Well, wonder no more! **

**Read on to find out just what's going on in the shadows of the night... ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two:<strong> Darkness

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><p>In the unforgiving, shallow nothingness of the realm of shadows, where the dark and fallen souls of lost beings float aimlessly without purpose or will, an even darker, twisted and malevolent power was beginning to stir. After its tireless search, its months upon months of looking for those perfect to house its might... it had finally found those perfectly suited to carry its terrible, yet magnificent powers. And those chosen... were finally beginning to awaken.<p>

The first of the two, as it began to regain its consciousness, felt the power arising in it like a terrible warmth, creeping in from the shadows around it and seeping into its very soul. Her soul, already tinged with poison and darkness, welcomed the power which seeped in and bound with her being. The hatred and malice from her past mixed with the new, great power of evil and the two bound, giving her body strength and might. And as her eyes opened, her form and soul restored, she felt the power surging in and all around her, blessing and cursing her with its horrible might, and cast forward a wicked, twisted grin.

And the second, receiving the last and perhaps greatest of the strange and horrible gift, also arose as the power beat through its very being, restoring its might to its former glory and beyond. The broken and fallen soul which had before been reduced to nothing, doomed to float alongside the nothingness for eternity, now rose up in its reformed body, the new power flowing through his veins as its dam burst and let the rest of its might find its new host. His armored feet set down harshly on the ground, for the first time in what might have been an eternity, and the rest of his body rose up to follow, fists clenching and jaw tightening into a malevolent, hatred-filled smirk.

Casting glances at one another, as they stood side-by-side once again, the Sorceress of Shadows, and the Knight of Darkness, exchanged their terrible grins, each silently acknowledging their newfound power, bringing about their arisen states. How they had been revived- who, or what had brought such a wonderful, horrible power into their souls- was beyond their comprehension. But for Veran and Onox, monsters in their own right and demons lurking in the darkest depths of the Dark Realm, this trifling question mattered not. Instead, together they looked forward into the darkness, their eyes hungrily devouring everything in front of them as they once more sought to possess everything in their sight- and even those further.

As the raging power within each of them calmed and settled into their new hosts, the first to make his move was the massive, armored Knight, taking another step forward and casting his hollowed-out eyes, hidden behind thick sheets of golden and grey gilded metal, across their surroundings. His gargantuan hands, hanging at his side, clenched and unclenched over and again, testing and reveling in his newfound strength. The sick grin once more spread across his face, the only part of his face not hidden behind the grotesque, metal mask. And lastly, he turned towards the other.

"... It's been quite a while. Hasn't it?" Onox growled in his deep, rumbling voice to the other, his lips opening into that wide and terrifying, _sickening_ grin of his.

The other glanced idly toward the side at her partner, her single, cast-over bang hiding half of her face. The eye which showed was blood-red and hungry, though calmed with a quiet look. Cast in the darkest of blues, purples and green, the tall and slender witch, with horned shoulder-garbs and a long, flowing cloak, was truly a demonic sight to behold. She returned the devious, almost gleeful smile of the other.

"Oh, much too long, indeed," Veran sneered back, practically cooing in that devious voice of hers. Her gaze, however, returned outwards once more, as she also took in the world around her. The two stood in the deepest reaches of the Dark Realm, where the nothing stretched on father than either the two could possibly hope to imagine. It was the land where the fallen souls of those born of the darkness and bound to it drifted, devoid of life and yet denied the right of eternal rest. Such was the way of the darkness... A terrible place... But just the right kind for them, perfect for starting anew.

Breaking the silence of the two came once again the harsh, metallic clash as the armored knight slammed his foot on the ground, making the rock beneath it crack. The rest of his plate armor ground together and slid, layer over layer, with the wave of movement. His grin twisted into a hideous, clenched sneer of anger and impatience as his fists clenched together in fury.

"Enough," the commander snapped, tired of their time wasted by simply standing around and taking in the sights. The hunger was building up in him- the hunger to take everything and anything for his own, by force and by his might. It was a hunger only fueled by his newfound power, and one that would not be quenched. He turned fiercely toward the sorceress, grinding his teeth as his jaws set into a snarl, "I'll not _stand_ here any longer, Veran. I'll have my revenge on... on that _brat_... and the land that should have been ours!"

The devious smirk from before stayed on the witch's face, even as her gaze drifted outwards once more. The souls which flew in and out, between and around them, were of no hindrance to them... but she could still feel their agony, their despair and their hatred... It fueled her as much as her new powers did, in a way different from the general standing next to her. She inhaled their senses, her lips parting in a smile almost dripping with the poison which forever latched onto her soul.

"Calm yourself, Onox," she hissed through her fanged teeth, all at once taking in the essences of the souls around her. Where she stood beneath the other in terms of size and strength... she more than made up for in her own dark powers, instantly seeing and knowing each of the lost beings around them, finding their strengths and weaknesses, plotting and planning to use them for her own ends. Her arms slowly lifted out in front of her, her open palms almost caressing each soul which drifted by... But her intentions were anything but gentle. She, too, wanted her revenge... And she knew how they would obtain it.

Instantly, her eyes lit up and widened, and her fist clenched tightly, her fingernails nearly digging into her own skin as how firm she held her grasp. The grasp which held seemingly nothing in it... and at the same time, her wide eyes grew even wider, filled with a sickening pleasure as she came to the realization, of just which soul she now held in her grasp. Her lips twisted and curled up into a frightening grin, and she looked sideways at her partner.

"This... this is the one, Onox!" Her slimy voice, almost giggling in wicked glee, slid through her clenched teeth as she once more looked hungrily at her fist, which she raised and brought closer to her face. Her fingernails, clenched so tightly that they dug into her own skin, drew a slight amount of blood, which began to seep over her fingers. The soul she had captured... it was beautiful, and terrible. It held much hate... much sorrow. Strangely, however, it seemed almost content… And yet, even deeper than its hopes and regrets... those fulfilled and those left to die before they had a chance to be born… at the base of it, lay the power she had been seeking. Once more she breathed in, and felt the strange, yet incredible power of this particular being tempt her senses. Almost giddy with her realization, she once more looked back at the other.

Stepping forward, closer to the other, Onox narrowed his eyes, hidden beneath the metal, as he leaned in to inspect the seemingly empty, slightly bloodied hand of the other. The souls which drifted in and out of the Dark Realm were open to the senses of all beings of darkness, though the evil witch Veran held a particular sensitivity towards them. And yet, even though he was not as akin to their powers as his partner... even the great knight could feel the power of the soul she held, and his eyes widened, his own mouth splitting into a toothy, hungry grin.

"This soul's powers..." the general began as he stepped back, admiring the witch's catch. He glanced over towards the sorceress herself, "We can use them. If this truly is the One..."

"Without a doubt," Veran interrupted hastily, her eyes now narrowed into slits as she stared back at her hand, lifting it further up. The soul in her grip neither struggled nor squirmed in her grasp... how could it, after all, being stripped of life itself?

And yet…

That... could be fixed.

"Then, by all means," Onox chuckled darkly as he leaned back, crossing his arms, that wicked grin plastered all over his masked face. "... Let us proceed."

Veran needed no further convincing. Her twisted grin grew across her face as she raised her arm in front of her, the blood slightly caking over her fingers, holding the soul tightly in her grasp. How she had come across this particular Being... how she and her partner had regained their powers... questions indeed, but the two demons far from needed to know. She had found what they needed... and now, it was time to bring it back, and lay forth the path to the Other World once again.

From her bloodied fist, where the soul was held high, a dark light began to emanate from the center of her palm. Spilling over her fingers, filling in the lines of her palms and creeping across the invisible soul, the strange, black ether almost seemed to drip off her hand, yet in every direction as it covered the soul and the hand of the witch in its terrible powers. Veran's smile grew, and from her own powers, sprang up the well of might which had arisen her only moments before. Her eyes burned into the soul as it was slowly brought back to the world... and as it was finally restored, once more her eyes snapped open, her grin cracking open into a wild, malicious laughter.

For in mere seconds after the monster had awoken, the sorceress had already gained control of it and its powers- powers almost as great, and perhaps even greater, than those instilled in the witch and the knight. And as she seized their might, twisting its use to her own will, her eyes lit up and her wild cackling continued, watching as the bright darkness once more burst forward from the chest of the Being in front of her, wrapping all three of them in its ethereal light. It was almost blinding, and the two villains stood together, watching in malevolent glee, as the light shone from the center of the being that they had awoken.

And from the light, near the center of the being itself, grew a seam... and from that seam, in the instant which followed the light's explosion, tore a large gash, splitting open in two and revealing its center: a ghastly, harsh blast of light, which flooded over the three and encased them in its glow. Both sorceress and knight stared hungrily into the light-filled abyss, their grins wide and wicked and their eyes set upon the sights which stared back at them, innocent and unaware, through the portal which had been opened- which, by the being of darkness through which they had captured, had been created.

Finally, it was the sorceress herself who spoke, her grin closing into the twisted smile from before- one of cruel confidence. She had yet to relinquish her grip on the being in front of her, and still held it by its center with her bloodied grasp. She turned her hungry, hollow eyes to the one next to her, and sneered.

"It's not the same as before... but it will do," she laughed coldly, looking back at the portal before them.

Casting his hidden glance back towards the sorceress, and then the revived soul in front of him, the Knight returned the grin of the witch- but with a furrowed scowl instead. "Same or no," he growled, his teeth bared and grinding together in rage, "It will be ours. And this One..." His eyes looked up, untrusting, at the unconscious demon held in Veran's grasp. A creature of shadows, yet...

"Destroy it," he sneered over toward his partner, taking a step towards the portal. "We've no use for it any longer."

The smirk stayed firmly on the witch's grip, and she turned the being over in her hands, her facial features sickened by the foul light which poured over her and cast every shadow behind and around her, as if even the darkest of shadows were fleeing from her very image in fright. "No," she said snidely as she continued to inspect her new pet, her eyes narrowing in wicked glee and torment and her hand soothingly, yet wickedly stroking the demon. She could _feel_ the power just beneath the surface of this monster... "It could still prove useful. Or have you forgotten my special... _talent_?" Here, she curiously eyed her partner, yet unable to hide the sinister grin which crept over the side of her face.

The general paused for a moment, but soon shrugged off the issue, instead frowning once more and looking towards the open portal. Sure, the Being had opened the portal for them... something only it was capable of doing... but as far as he was concerned, it would prove to be little other help to them. He supposed Veran would find some use for it... Either way, he had a plan, and was not going to let anything interfere with it. Grinning widely once more, he took another step towards the portal, until he was all but inside of it. Glancing over his iron-casted, bulked shoulders, he sneered once again.

"... This time. There will be _nothing_ to stop us," Onox grinned darkly, menacingly, as the shadows fell across his face, despite the bright light from the other side of the portal shining directly across him. Looking back into the portal once more, his sick grin danced in the light that shone on it as his eyes looked hungrily upon the blurry image of a massive, white castle, distorted through the waving light of the portal.

"Let the world _weep_," Veran added with a sick grin of her own, walking next to her partner-in-crime and facing the portal head-on. Looking demonically over her bang, she shrieked in laughter, leaping forward through the portal. And in an instant, the armored knight was behind her, storming through the gash in the nothing towards the light. The being was drawn along with them...

After the three had left the Dark Realm and traversed into the Light, the gash in the center of the world's nether closed and throbbed one last time- and as it sealed shut, the light from the other end dissipated into nothingness, leaving nothing but the closed tear in the world.

And even that, in moments, slowly faded away back into the darkness, until there was nothing left at all.

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><p>The three demons, denizens of shadows and those harboring the most terrible powers of darkness, materialized in the same sort of creeping, haunting blackness through which they had come- almost blending in with their surroundings, with the black silence of the night. Their only witnesses shined down upon them from the heavens, the silent stars the only ones watching as the foul power invaded the light, setting foot where none of their kind ever should.<p>

The grass beneath the feet of the great, armored Knight was crushed as he took a step forward, and once more his terrible, toothy grin spread hideously across his masked face as he took in their new surroundings. With her prisoner in tow, Veran joined her partner, taking a few steps of her own to match the other's, looking with wide and hungry eyes over this new land which they had invaded.

And finally, as their eyes took in all the sights around them, their greedy, hungry gazes last settled upon a massive sight towards the north… A tall, impressive castle, with stones as white as ivory, stood not too far in the distance. Flags and banners flapped in the wind from their perches atop each tower, and soldiers lined every possible entrance. From their place atop the tall, lonely hill, the two monstrosities could see both the majestic castle in front of them… and the silent, sleeping town which lay at its feet.

Onox looked down with a sinister sneer at the small, pitiful pile of discarded flowers which he was slowly grinding further and further into the dirt with the heel of his armored boot. Looking back up, he laughed darkly and coldly, his voice low and metallic as it rattled through every plate of armor across his massive body. Narrowing his eyes into slits, hidden behind the vast expanse of his mask, he grinned once more as he turned to look towards the castle.

"… This will do," he sneered in perverted pleasure, further crushing the flowers beneath him as he took another step forward, looking over the vast hill at the quiet town and castle before him. He laughed again- that bitter, harsh sound like metal screeching against rock. "This will do _very_ nicely," he repeated, looking over at his partner, his eyes glistening in evil glee.

The icy-cool sorceress remained calm and quiet, but the smirk on her harsh face grew and grew as she took in all which stood before her. However, looking past the castle and the town, she instead looked over Onox, her eyes narrowing in the same hunger- only calculating, careful. She grinned in response, and, looking back at the castle, replied calmly toward the other. "You surprise me, Onox," she said in that sickly-sweet voice of hers, almost laughing. "I thought you had much greater aspiration than this."

Sneering, the Knight looked over his spiked shoulder at the witch behind him. "Oh?" he asked, grinding his teeth in frustration- though still, cocking a half-smirk. The little sorceress got on his nerves at times… but he would not deny her worth and value as a partner.

With the returning smile, the sorceress raised her hand, and extended her arm outwards, sweeping it across the vast landscape to their side. "_All_ of this," she replied, that laugh like ice once more escaping her poisoned lips, "Will do nicely." She once more turned her devilish grin and sparkling eyes towards the other. The Knight was quiet as his smirk grew, understanding what the other meant. And with another smile, Veran took a few more steps towards the castle, the monster behind her still incapacitated by her powers.

"Shall we?" the Sorceress hissed with a demonic, demented grin, looking wickedly over her shoulder at her ally. Already, smokes and wisps of blue and purple shadow magic were beginning to swirl around her, building in intensity and rage. Her eyes glowed in maniacal rage and glee, her newfound powers rising inside her once more. And as they came to the surface, ready for its bloodlust and thirst for violence…

So they did in the other, who took his own step forward, raising a weapon in his hand which had not been there before. It was blackened, formed of the shadows of his new power, and it hung from a strong, terrible chain which wrapped twice around his wrists, clenched within his fingers. Sneering once more, the Knight laughed darkly as he raised his new weapon, his terrible grin wide and maniacal.

_"Let's."_

No more words were exchanged between the two- no more were needed. The two merely turned towards the castle once more…

And began their conquest.

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><p><strong>That's right- through some dark new power, taking with them a strange creature from the darkness, Veran and Onox have been unleashed in the Realm of Light... and have set their sights on Hyrule itself!<strong>

**Where is Link? Will he really leave Hyrule to be overrun by Veran and Onox?**

**Find out in tomorrow's game-changing chapter, Chapter Three: _Ambush_!**


	3. Ambush

**We rejoin Link as he sets off on his personal journey away from Hyrule.**

**But what about Veran and Onox? Will Link leave the town behind, unaware of its recent invasion?**

**Or is fate going to intervene before he gets the chance?**

**Read ahead to find out! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three:<strong> Ambush

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><p>Night wrapped around the boy in its sweet and sad embrace as his footsteps quietly echoed throughout the sparse woods. Castle Town was not yet far behind him, yet his feet still pointed away, outwards towards his own, separate path. Link's eyes, slightly red at the corners from his earlier tears, stared wearily ahead as he counted his steps, taking in his surroundings and calculating where he would go first. His heart weighed heavily on his soul- it felt like a hunk of lead in his chest, with his back aching to support the weight as he walked. The night, then, was a welcome relief to him- it hid from the rest of the world his despair-filled expression and sullen, tired eyes.<p>

Raising a fist and sniffing away the tears, the young hero wiped his cheek once more as he slowed down his pace, looking around him to make sure he was going in the right direction. His eyes, though tired, jumped slightly up in surprise as he realized what he was passing by. Turning his body to the right, he followed his eyes, now, as they set on something not so far away- something he had to see, or at least stop by, before he left for good.

His footsteps continued to echo through his new surroundings, though the sound of his feet hitting dirt ceased- and instead, they softly began to clap across a stone path. Looking up, Link let his gaze fall across the forgotten ruins of the Four Sword Sanctuary, drifting over the four main pillars which stood bordering the sacred grounds, and eventually settling over the pedestal in the center of it all. The Four Sword, gleaming and glorious as ever, sat silently in its resting place, protected by the holy aura of the Sanctuary. A bitter feeling ate at his heart as he looked at the half-crumbled walls of stone around him, and the ivy and weeds that were slowly growing over them. The place which had so long served as a temple to his people… like him, it was now forgotten.

Slowly, with his sights set on the nostalgic and magnificent blade, Link approached the pedestal, walking up the few, small steps until he stood directly in front of the sword itself, its golden hilt pointed skywards towards the heavens.

A sudden thought came across the boy, and he blinked, pausing to consider such a thought.

_…Why don't I take it with me?_ Link mused curiously as he looked at its blade, giving a small, almost sad grin as his thoughts continued, _If I pulled it, I'd be able to have my friends again… We could leave Hyrule, us four, and go on our own adventures together… I wouldn't have to be… alone…_

Closing his eyes, Link smiled as he brought forth the memories from his past… of his friends, his brothers… and silently, wondered what each of them would say.

_"What? Pull the Four Sword?" one of them would turn and shout with a raised eyebrow and a sarcastic, snapping voice. "Are you insane?" Blue snorted and crossed his arms angrily, his foot tapping in impatience and his eyes narrowed in stark disapproval. "Yeah, so what? You'll be alone. Man up. Big deal. But you can't just take what's not yours, pal." He looked away sharply, too stubborn to bother arguing any further than the point he'd made._

_ Smiling weakly, the Link beside him would gently tug on the other's sleeve. "You don't have to be so harsh on him, Blue," Red piped up with a grin, looking back at him. "But Blue is right… The sword's not really ours, y'know?" He laughed lightly as he raised his sword, swinging it around playfully. "We're kinda just borrowing it, really." His eyes brightening up, he turned towards the others who stood behind him. "What do you think, Vio?" he asked with another cheerful grin._

_ The one who was asked raised his eyebrows slightly, but gave a simple shrug, his arms also crossed- but more in a cool, relaxed state than one of impatience. "I'm more concerned with the people of Hyrule," he pointed out in a calm, intelligent voice, uncrossing his arms as he pointed idly over at Blue. "What if we were to leave, and another Four Sword hero would be needed? We can't take the sword- it'd be depriving Hyrule's future of a new hero."_

_ Sighing, the last of the four shook his head with a small smile. Looking up, Green, the leader of the four, nodded and said firmly, "It's settled then. Leave the sword, okay? We can't take that away from Hyrule. I know we'll still miss each other, but…" He shrugged and offered a comforting smile. "It's for the best. Who knows? Maybe someday we'll meet again. But until then…"_

His blue eyes slowly fluttered open, and Link, snapped away from his memories, looked sadly down at the sword. A smile had been creeping along the edges of his lips, and now, despite everything that had happened, he was nearly grinning from ear to ear. He gave a reluctant sigh and placed his hand gently atop the sword's glistening, golden hilt. Nodding to himself, he almost laughed as he shook his head.

"No… it wouldn't be right of me. Well, old friend…" he muttered, trailing off with a smile, letting his hand slip off the smooth, metal surface… Straightening up, he took a step back and smiled at the Four Sword. "Guess this is good-bye, huh?" He nodded- partly to himself, and partly to the sword. The reverence he held for it was beyond what any other could comprehend… For he knew the _true_ power beneath its silver surface. But still… With another sigh, he nodded once more, smiling. "Thanks for everything."

The words choked up in his throat, and almost too quickly, he turned and began shuffling his way down the steps and across the marbled-rock stone path. He had to leave now… his teeth were clenched and his head bowed as he fought the familiar, stinging sensation rising in his eyes. If he stayed any longer… he wouldn't be able to hold it in any more.

Once more bringing a balled-up fist to his cheeks, he rubbed at his eyes and sniffed, trying to clear away all the tears from before. And yet, as he did… his hand suddenly paused, still rubbed up against his cheek… and his eyes slowly opened, narrowed in quiet confusion and determination. What… What was that…? A strange smell was wafting towards the Sanctuary… It smelled like… _smoke…_

Instantly, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Link whirled around, his wide eyes aimed fiercely at the sword set in its pedestal. It was just as he'd left it a second ago- pristine, untouched, calm and quiet. But still… the smell was there. And he could even begin to see a grey haze beginning to tinge the edges of the forests that surrounded the sacred ruins…

He turned his eyes up. _Where there was smoke_, he thought, as he frantically searched the skies, _there's sure to be_…

His heart froze in his chest.

_ …Fire._

Ribbons of red and orange light were dancing in the skies in front of him, off to the north… building and burning, the fire consumed everything in its path. And though he had walked quite a ways away from it in the past few minutes… he could still see the rooftops of the houses of Castle Town as they burned in the bright, orange-red flames.

Castle Town… the entire city… it was on fire!

His stomach somersaulted inside of him, and his eyes stared wide, disbelieving, at the sight of the flames rising higher and higher above the town. What… what had happened? He'd been gone no longer than half an hour, and yet…

Instantly, his mind seized control of his body, and he shook his mind fiercely. _No time for that!_ He instantly chided himself as he grit his teeth, setting his narrowed, determined vision on the burning town. _Get back there! Help them! Now!_

Shouting out loudly in a battle cry, with his strength renewed and his confidence rising within him, Link clenched his fists as he burst forward, sprinting forward as fast as he legs could carry him towards the burning town. His chest heaved as he ran, and his eyes, while wide with fear and worry, were also narrowed into fierce, determined slits. He didn't know what he could do, but… he _had_ to help!

It only took a few minutes for the boy to run through a well-known shortcut from the Sanctuary to the town, but it seemed like hours as the drive and urge to get there as fast as he could ate away at him every second. When he finally exploded into the main street of town, the leaping flames around him heated his skin and cast its demonic, dancing lights across his face, lighting up the dark night all around him with its sinister glow. And in the midst of it all, his heart flopped in his chest once more as he looked around him in fear and horror.

Children, pulled along and carried by frightened mothers and fathers, were screaming as they ran through the streets to safety. Merchants, while desperately trying to save their burning wares, were eventually pushed out by the approaching wall of flames that was slowly but surely devouring each house along the roads. Urging along those who ran by with his loud, encouraging voice, Link found himself instantly springing into action, running through the streets and looking both left and right, front and back, to make sure everyone was getting out alright. And yet, as his sights turned forwards, a cold shiver shot down his spine and back up, his eyes looking up in terror at the sight before him.

Billowing pillars of blackened, choking smoke were rising upwards across the pure, white stones of the castle… Soldiers were scrambling left and right to save and escort the citizens out of the raging inferno that was slowly consuming the entire town… And as his eyes trailed upwards, Link watched in growing horror as the flames ate at the sides of Hyrule Castle, jumping from window to window as it burned through the stones and into the castle itself.

"Z-_ZELDA_!"

He was shouting and running before he even knew what he was doing. Zelda could still be in the castle! Forget his birthday, forget her not showing up, the flowers, the cake… none of it mattered anymore. All he wanted now was for her to be safe… All those thoughts, the despair, the doubts… they were all pushed aside as he sprinted faster than he'd ever run before, with only one thought screaming at him in his mind: _Zelda might be inside! I have to save her!_

Blazing past those who ran opposite of him, and ignoring the shouts of protest he heard from others- "Hey, kid! Don't go that way!" "Someone stop him!" "The fire's getting out of control!" –he instead continued to run as fast as he could, feeling, yet ignoring, the heavy ache in his lungs as they strained for every last breath he could take as he ran. Ignoring the sweat as it raced down his neck, the heat from the searing flames as it whipped around him, beating down at him from every angle. Ignoring everything… except for running towards the castle, running to Zelda, running to-

And yet, as he ignored the world around him, it suddenly caught him by surprise, and he gasped in sudden shock as he felt a harsh jerk on his shoulder, as someone had grabbed his arm seemingly out of nowhere and pulled him backwards.

"_Argh_! Lemme go!" Link shouted before he even knew who had grabbed him, gritting his teeth and whirling around as he raised his arm, trying to get out of the grip which had stopped him in his tracks. His angry, narrowed eyes whipped around to face who it was who had tried to stop him from-

His eyes grew wide, and his heart stopped.

Staring back at him through innocent, yet urgent blue eyes, was the young Princess of Hyrule herself- Zelda.

"Z… Zelda," Link found himself breathing, incredulously, looking wide-eyed at the Princess, almost as if trying to convince himself it was really her. Only a second passed, however, before he once more snapped back into reality, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and spoke again, this time his tone much more firm and in control.

Wasting not a second long, as she released his grip on his shoulder, he took her hand in his own. "Come on!" he said to her urgently, looking over his shoulder at the leaping flames, which were slowly collapsing the various buildings around them. "We have to get out of here!"

However, as Link tried to run away and pull her with him, Zelda suddenly took a step back, jerking the other back with her. Her eyes were wide and fearful, and she shook her head, panicked. "N-no," she gasped, speaking for the first time that night to her friend. "You don't understand, Link! Something… something's happened! Something _bad_!"

Jerked backwards once more, Link could only turn around and look at her as she tried to talk to him and relay what had happened. His eyes were attentive, and his ears ready to listen to whatever she had to say. And yet… he almost became lost in her eyes, in her beauty… Snapping himself out of his daydreams and cursing mentally to himself, he blinked a few times and nodded. "What's happened, Zelda?" he asked urgently, turning towards her. "Is the King okay?" His voice was calm and collected, his face and overall attitude surprisingly mature for one so young.

The Princess shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears as she took a step back. "N-no… not like that, but… please, Link! You must come with me!" She tripped and stuttered over her words fearfully- something, Link noted with a creeping, dull sense of horror, which she never did in her typical way of speaking- and shook her head again, taking a step back and pulling Link along with her.

A sudden explosion rocked their world and shook the ground beneath them, and the Princess screamed in fear, ducking down as shards of wood and metal shrapnel rained down all around them, the pieces of what was once a house shooting out in a hundred different directions. Without a moment's hesitation, instinctively Link jumped forward, ducking down and shielding the princess with his body. His arm, with reflexes faster than those of the most highly trained warrior, jerked out instantly as he raised the shield off from his back and above the two- and grit his teeth as he felt more of the shrapnel slam down on them, clashing against his shield and falling harmlessly to the ground.

Surprisingly calm after the explosion- as he kept his wits about him-, Link stood back up, helping the Princess up with one hand and putting his shield back with another. He knew- they couldn't stay here to talk, it was too dangerous. The fire was already out of control, and, above all, he had to get Zelda to safety. And as long as where she wanted to lead him was someplace away from the fire… Taking her hand, he nodded firmly, looking into her eyes. "Alright. Let's get out of here!" he shouted above the roar of the flames.

Hand-in-hand, one protecting the other, the two children ran out of the burning town as fast as their small legs could carry them. Once or twice the smaller, more fragile Princess would trip or fall behind, looking up at the other with wide and pleading eyes. And every time, gritting his teeth and looking back at her with determined, devoted eyes, Link would turn around and help her back up, and they'd continue running, until at last the heat of the flames was slowly dying down, and they put more and more distance between them and the hungry, devouring fires.

As Zelda began to slow down, so did, then Link, until the two finally came to a stop, each of them panting heavily at their escape. And though his shaking, exhausted legs had stopped, Link's mind kept running- how had the town and castle caught fire? Was it an attack? Was the King safe? How did Zelda escape? And where were they supposed to go now? So lost was he in his questions, that it took him a moment or two before he finally realized just where Zelda had led him. And once his breath had caught back to him, and his chest no longer heaved as it cried out for air, he looked up at the Princess, and, with wide eyes, at the oh-so familiar landscape around them.

The roar of the flames still echoed behind them, and Link could still smell the faint, yet terrifying trail of smoke which now drifted and settled above the once quiet and peaceful Castle Town. But where they were… was a peaceful place. One free of war and of violence, lying in the center of the nearby woods. And though it lay in ruins, ivy growing over its stones, the Four Sword Sanctuary looked as peaceful and welcoming as ever.

Slowly, Link took a few steps forward, his eyes wide as he looked around once more. Why… Why had Zelda brought him here? He looked over towards her, his eyes silently pleading for an answer. He had so many questions, and he knew Zelda knew the answers to all of them, but… He couldn't bring himself to ask them.

And yet, it seemed the distraught Princess knew of his torment, and looked back at him with a pained smile. "Link… I… I know this doesn't make any sense to you, but…" she sighed and looked towards the Sword, seated in the center of the pedestal. She bowed her hand, and daintily clasped her hands together by her chest. "You… We need you to… you must…" She sighed and shook her head, as if struggling to get the words across.

And even though she hadn't yet said it, Link swallowed a lump in his throat, slowly nodding over at her. He was beginning to understand. With teary eyes, Zelda looked back up at her childhood friend, the Hero of Hyrule.

"… You need to pull the Four Sword, Link."

He knew the words before the Princess even uttered them, but hearing them aloud made them hit home and true to him, and, his eyes wide, he slowly looked down towards the grass. What… what was going on? Why did he need to pull the Sword? He'd learned from his most recent adventure, that, while it was indeed a mighty weapon, it also was a precious treasure- one that needed to be protected rather than wielded. It was safest in its pedestal, why in Hyrule would he need to pull it again and be split once more? With these questions and more running around in his mind, he looked back up at the Princess, taking a deep breath before he spoke again.

"Zelda… you remember what happened last time," he said slowly and calmly, trying to keep his voice under control as he looked over at the sword. He closed his eyes, faintly remembering the end of that journey… Shaking his head to quickly clear the memories before they over-flooded him, he looked back at Zelda, frowning. "Why? Why should I pull it, Zelda? What's going on at the castle?" he asked, his voice almost growing desperate. He had to know… before he could pull the sword, as she was asking, he had to know why.

Strangely… for the first time since he saw her panicked face in the burning inferno of Castle Town only minutes before, the Princess looked down, suddenly unable to meet Link's eyes. "I… I can't tell you, yet," she spoke quietly, almost fearfully, her eyes still welling up in tears. "Please, Link…" Looking up, the tears spilling over her eyelids and leaving trails down her soot-laced cheeks, the Princess set her deep, imploring eyes over at her friend. "Please, you have to trust me…" she pleaded quietly.

Trust her? …He _had_ trusted her… He looked away, quietly bitter, as the hurtful memory of only an hour or so before ate at his heart again. He'd trusted her, to show up to the single most important day of the year for him… and she'd let him down. After that, he never wanted to see her again. But… Sighing, he looked over to the Sword, and began to walk towards it. Slowly, he placed his palm on the hilt- just as he had done not so long ago, yet this time, in an entirely different way. Castle Town had burnt almost entirely to the ground, and for all he knew, Hyrule Castle was next… As a hero, could he really just say no and turn a blind eye to all of this…?

Finally, shaking his head and narrowing his eyes in determination, the young hero of twelve years old looked back up at the Princess, his hand tightening into a grip over the Sword's handle.

"… I will, Zelda. I'll pull the Sword… and we'll use its powers to help as best as we can," Link said with a firm, confident nod, a small smile creeping along the edges of his mouth. He wasn't expecting this, to be honest… But, deep in his heart, he knew he had to. To save Hyrule… for Princess Zelda…

With a rejuvenated smile, and sniffing away her tears, the Princess took a step back and nodded, watching with almost adoring eyes as Link gripped the sword. "I… I believe in you, Link," she whispered quietly, almost struggling to say those words, yet looking up in delight as her friend slowly wrapped his other hand around the sword's hilt…

Having moved to stand in front of the sword, his feet planted firmly on the ground and his two hands wrapped tightly across the blade's handle, Link was ready… Ready to pull the Sword from its pedestal, re-ignite its powers, and save his land from the darkness once again… His eyes narrowed in determination, and his lips turned upwards in a small smile as he tightened the muscles in his arms, threw back his shoulders…

And in one, swift motion, drew the Four Sword.

And yet… in that same action, his eyes flew up towards the Princess who was standing there… and, with a look of horror across the hero's face, as the transformation began to seize upon him, he watched as the Princess suddenly collapsed upon the ground in a motionless heap, a dark cloud of twisting shadows rising from her body… _out of_ her body… Hovering upwards and developing a wicked, twisted grin which opened and laughed, heinously and terrifyingly, at the foolish boy who had fallen right into its trap.

In that instant, Link knew: he had been tricked.

But before another thought could even cross his terrified mind, the magic of the blade took affect- and, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, so did the dark magic of the demon in front of him, swirling around him and sinking into his very being.

How… how had he fallen for such a simple trap? Though he desperately wondered this in the depths of his sullen heart, he was powerless to stop what had been set in motion. What he had done… The shadow which had arisen out of Zelda… which had possessed her that entire time, leading him right into its hands… Was everything now lost…?

The last thing the boy saw before drifting away was darkness: darkness, as he fell into it and was absorbed by its evil, wrapped around by the shadows and sucked into its demonic, horrific embrace. His world went silent, and his very senses were seized from him…

The darkness once more engulfed his entire being, until, finally, succumbing to the darkness around and inside him, he began to drift away… until he knew no more.

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><p><strong>... Yup. Things are going to get <em>much<em> more serious here on out! I hope you guys are ready! :P**

**Unfortunately, Link's fate will have to wait until tomorrow- for the next installment, Chapter Four: _Escape_!**

**Reviews = much loved! ^_^**


	4. Escape

**... No introduction here. ;) Just enjoy as always!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Four:<strong> Escape

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><p>Pain… it was all he could think about, all he could feel. It pulsed through his body and ran across his mind. Even as he was finally drawn back into the world of consciousness, the horrible, numbing pain was all the boy knew as the aches shot through every corner of his frame, all the way down to his legs and shooting up his spine. The agony crept through every limb and nerve in him, and his eyes slowly, painfully, blinked open as he tried to see past the torment and figure out just where he was.<p>

He was dimly aware of the massive, empty silence around him, yet his attention first became to find the source of the pain- and while barbs of the ache shot up and down his spine at his every moment, he was able to trace its source to a tightening around his wrists and ankles. Calming himself as best as he could, groggily still awakening from unconsciousness, the youth tilted his head to the side, trying to get a glimpse of just what was gripping so tightly onto his arms and legs.

A blackened, metallic cuff was shackled firmly against his left wrist, tightly crushing his light-green sleeve against his skin, and he noted how it was lifted upwards, above his head, chained solidly to the wall which his back was up against. A quick look on the other side confirmed it- his right arm was also bound by the cold, unforgiving metallic chain, tightly stuck to the stone wall behind him. It was only his long-sleeved, pine-tinted shirt that kept the metal from digging into his wrist and drawing blood. He didn't even need to look a third or fourth time- he knew, with a creeping feeling of horror in the pits of his stomach, what was wrapped around each of his ankles, pinning them to the wall along with as his arms.

Where… where in the heck was he? As the feeling set in, the knowledge that he was chained… _imprisoned_… his mind was fully awakened, and he shook his head once or twice to clear the rest of the cobwebs out so he could think. His confused, blue eyes blinked a few times as he looked from side to side, taking in his surroundings. His earlier thoughts, based on the fact that he was chained up, were correct- he was in a dark, damp prison chamber. Against his back was a stone wall, and the other three walls which served as his cell were lined with thick, iron bars- one of which held a strong, locked door.

_Okay… Let's keep calm, here… I'm obviously in some sort of prison. And not a very nice one, from the looks of it… How in the heck did I get into this sort of situation?_ Closing his eyes tight, the boy began to wrack his brain, his memories, as if trying to figure out what had happened which had put him in this sort of puzzle. He hadn't done anything wrong, not that he could remember… He wasn't some sort of a criminal. Why was he locked up in this strange place?

Reaching back into the furthest corners of his mind, the boy searched frantically for any piece of information which might be helpful in figuring things out. Again, he made sure to keep himself calm as he did so, despite his obviously troubling situation- and yet, as the seconds ticked by, a different sort of pain began to ricochet through his body. A pain much different than the kind caused by the shackles on each of his limbs… But also one far much worse.

A cold chill ran through his heart, and he found himself unable to breathe, his eyes wide open.

_I… I don't remember… I don't have the faintest clue of where I am, or how I got here, or… or…_

It was then that he began to realize, not only were those answers nowhere in his mind… but something else was missing, as well. Something even more important than just _where_ he was or _how_ he had gotten there. And though he was unaware of it, his heart had all but stopped as he mentally asked himself a question… a simple question, yet he horrifyingly knew he couldn't answer…

… _Who… who am I…?_

Slowly, he resumed breathing- slow, shallow and choppy breaths, as he tried to keep himself from panicking. However, his now frantic eyes continued to dart around his cell, desperate and panicked. How… how in the world could he not know who he was?-! What had happened to him?-!

_Hey… hey! Calm down!_ His thoughts snapped at him, and his narrowed eyes darted down to the ground. _You're not gonna get anywhere freaking out, so just calm the heck down, and think things through. Look around you. Maybe there's something or someone here that'll help you remember things. You probably just got banged on the head, or something… So keep your cool and just figure things out._

His eyes had closed, and he had forced himself to relax both mentally and physically. Alright… he'd do just that. Nevermind about what he couldn't remember, that wasn't that important right now- what was important was getting the heck out of there. With a quietly restored confidence, he lifted his head upwards and set about looking across the entity of his cell and those surrounding it, hoping he could find something- anything- to help him get out of this mess.

But before he could so much as take a sweeping glance- a sudden voice spoke quietly and calmly across the silence, and his eyes instantly jumped to the side, settling on the form of a small child, chained up against the wall in a cell opposite his own.

"So… you're finally awake, are you?"

The boy blinked a few times in confusion as he looked at his fellow cell-mate. While they were separated by a single, iron-bar wall, he could still clearly see the other who had spoken to him. He was young- perhaps even the same age as he was- and sort of oddly dressed, the shadows blending in with his purple garb and making him almost seem as black as the wall he was chained up against. And yet, most curiously, were his calm blue eyes as they stared back at the other, awaiting a response.

"Um… yeah, I guess…" What in the world was he to say? The other chained boy was looking patiently at him, as if waiting for the other to talk. Shaking his head and gathering his courage, the first boy spoke aloud to the other, his voice slightly shaky, "Do… do you know where we are, by any chance?"

There was another silence between the two boys, where the one in purple calmly turned his head, looking to the side of them- where, outside the cells, a table, chair, and staircase led out of the chambers. Glancing back at the other, he replied in his simple and steady voice, "I would assume some sort of prison. Being that we're both chained up together, it's quite likely that we were also imprisoned together."

The first boy blinked in quiet surprise at the other's calculated, calm words. It was as if he was hardly afraid or worried about their situation at all. Yet, he noticed oddly, it wasn't quite his tone which caught his attention- but what he'd said.

"You mean… you don't remember being chained up, either?" he pressed, his eyes slightly wide in curiosity. Was it even possible? Could he not remember anything, either?

Again, the silence was split between the two as the other carefully thought out his words, looking out towards the stairs once more. Finally, he looked back at the other and nodded simply. "Ah… I thought you might be experiencing it, as well," he said simply, though sighed rather dejectedly and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I can't remember much of anything at all, either," he muttered, his eyes slightly narrowing in frustration and looking down towards the damp, cold stone floor.

Before the first could reply, he continued as he shook his head, his light blonde locks of hair shaking idly over his forehead, "It seems we're both experiencing amnesia, then. Especially troubling, given our current circumstances…" Frowning, he looked back towards the stairs, as if quietly angered. "I've already tried multiple times to loosen the chains, or find a way to make them malfunction. Nothing's yet succeeded."

As soon as the first part of his speech had finished, the first boy, chained on the opposite side of the wall as the one clothed in purple, almost found himself lost in his own thoughts. _…__**Amnesia**__? Is that what he said? What in the world's going on here? …Who is he? And just who the heck am I?-!_ He glanced back towards the other as he finished talking about a possible escape. Following the other's glance, his eyes settled upon the opposite side of the cell, towards a small opening which connected each of their cells and met with an upwards-leading staircase. It was the only way out, but…

At the base of the staircases, however, something glistened and caught his eye- and as he turned to look towards the table, he blinked in light surprise. Two swords, unmanned, were lying on top of the table. Their blades were silver, and sharp- and their handles glistened with gold. Who would leave two swords simply lying around, by the dungeons, even? However, before he could think more on it, his thoughts chided him and he returned to the more pressing matter at hand- getting out of his chains.

Grunting in effort, he pulled his arm as hard as he could, looking upwards at it in his desperate attempt to free his arm from the chains.

"It's no use," the other boy spoke, shaking his head a bit sadly- yet his voice was still as calm and composed as ever. "Nothing but a guard's key will open those chains."

"A guard's key, huh?" the first responded with a grim smile, relaxing as he realized it was true- no use wasting his energy trying to force open the chains. They were too strong. His gaze returned towards the table- maybe a lazy guard had left his set of keys lying around somewhere, perhaps within reach.

No dice- the only thing on that table were those two strange swords. Huh. His smile turned into a grim frown as his mind began to race, trying to formulate a plan. Whatever the circumstances were, however odd they may be… he wasn't going to simply hang around all day. (_Wow, even in a life or death situation I'm making puns_, he thought dryly.) He'd plan a way out- he _had_ to.

However, before he could even set his mind on the appointed task of figuring out some sort of escape route, a loud banging noise suddenly blew through the chambers, and both boys, snapped out of their thoughts, looked towards the stairs. The metal door at the top of the stairs must have been opened- and soon enough, heavy footsteps were heard slamming down each step, growing louder and stronger with each approaching step. A guard was on his way to check on the two imprisoned children.

And yet, through the sounds of his massive footsteps growing closer and closer… as the first boy began to panic, something instead caught the other one's attention. The unmistakable sound… of keys clinking together.

He grinned.

"Hey!" he hissed quietly, yet urgently, to the other boy, garbed in green, who turned and looked at him upon being addressed. Grinning, the prisoner in purple continued. "I have a plan, alright? Follow my lead!"

The other boy wasn't quite sure what to make of this, but he nodded simply back. What did he have in store? He hadn't thought about it earlier, but as the boy had been quiet most of the time, maybe he'd been using his time to formulate a plan… smart… he mentally kicked himself for not doing that earlier.

But before his mind could go any further than that, the footsteps stopped, and he looked sharply to the side, with wide eyes, at the side of his cell. Standing on the opposite side of both cells, stood an armored, muscled brute. He… didn't know what else to call it, other than a brute or some sort of monster- it looked like an animal, similar to a pig, but stood on two legs and wore battle armor, carrying behind it a large, rusted axe. He also noticed a large ring of silver keys dangling on the blade of the axe…

However, his eyes, and attention, were suddenly diverted elsewhere than the keys as, in an instant, another, harsh sound began to ring across his ears. His eyes widened in small panic as he realized, looking over at the other, just what those sounds were.

Coughing, hacking, wheezing, and nearly retching, the boy who had spoken to him only moments before was suddenly seized by illness as his head hung limply between his shoulders, his back arching forward as if he were suddenly going to be sick. He coughed and coughed, repetitively and almost annoyingly, as the first began to panic.

Was he okay? How had he gotten sick? What was the guard going to do?

And yet… As he looked at the other, a small pause came in his coughs… and, through his hanging-over bangs, he could've sworn he saw the other smile, his eyes glinting mischievously. So… this was his plan? The first nodded seriously, understanding where he was going, and ready to play along.

Instantly, he returned to his coughing and choking, and it had just the effect he desired- the pig-guard, snarling and sneering in contempt, walked over to the door of the other's cell. It grumbled and snorted some inarticulate words the boy couldn't understand, but he could clearly tell from its face that he was not pleased with the other boy's feigned illness. Reaching behind him, the guard picked the ring of keys off his axe and inserted one into the door. A soft click followed, and the door swung open, the guard replacing the ring of keys back on the blade of his axe, slung over his shoulder. The door slammed shut behind him.

Snorting, the hulking pig hobbled over to the kid, grunting and snarling as it continued to growl at the boy. It leaned in closer to the other, its monstrous yellow eyes narrowing as it peered past the kid's bangs, getting close to his face…

And in an instant, the boy jerked his head back up- and grinned.

Suddenly, lifting one of his legs free of its chains- the first boy stared, slack-jawed and bug-eyed (_how did he get free of that?-!_ He wondered incredulously) - the prisoner bent his knee and, with all his strength, kicked his foot out at the guard. The result was instantaneous- the breath was knocked out of him and he was effectively caught off-guard, stumbling backwards. But what was more important was what went sailing through the air as a result of the kick- the glistening, round ring of silver keys flew off the axe's blade, passing easily through the iron-barred wall which separated the two dungeons- and landed with a small clink, sliding an inch or two only to stop right at the other prisoner's feet.

The silent, split second which followed after the keys fell felt like an eternity, as all sets of eyes were focused on the keys. But even it would soon come to pass- and the second which followed exploded with noise and motion.

Roaring in fury at having been attacked and deceived, the pig-beast growled and snarled as it whirled around- now trapped in the other's cell- and ran towards the separating wall of iron bars. It didn't get far, however, before it suddenly bellowed as it fell face-flat on the stone. The boy's leg had darted out once again and tripped the other, and his face was fraught with pain as he stretched his leg out as far as he could, trying to keep the guard detained.

"H-Hey! The keys! Get the keys!" he shouted angrily as his leg shook and sweat beaded down the side of his face.

"But, my chains!" the other protested just as quickly and worriedly as he looked down at the ring of keys lying so perfectly by his feet. He grunted as he continued to pull and jerk at his ankle. How the hell did that other kid get it off?-!

"Nggh! Twist and pull!" the other shouted back as he continued to struggle with holding back the guard, who was now turning around and fighting back with the other, trying to push the kid's leg off of him.

Taking the other's instructions, the first boy quickly and effectively did as he was told- and, his eyes wide, watched as the leather of his boots rubbed against the side of the shackle's switch, effectively snapping it open with the motion. It seemed the leg shackles were different than the arms… mentally, he cursed himself. Why had he not noticed this before?

_No time for that! Get the keys! Help him!_ His thoughts shouted at him, and, reaching forward, quickly hooked the toe of his boots over the ring of keys. He couldn't pay attention to what was happening in the other cell- in all the noise and confusion, he only hoped the other kid was okay as he raised the keyring up to his shoulder, and took the first key he could get a hold of in between his teeth.

How he eventually managed it, he'd never know… apparently, luck was on his side… but as soon as he heard the satisfying click of the key sliding in the lock of his arm, he swung his free wrist outwards, not wasting another second before grabbing the key in his free hand and using it to unlock his other arm.

The chaos in the other cell was growing in intensity and volume, and, before he could even think about his newfound freedom, it was all the boy could do to stumble towards the cell door (after having unhooked his other ankle free) and shove the key into the door's keyhole. As he did so, however, he couldn't help his eyes from wandering up, towards that same glint from before…

The guard in the other cell finally got the upper hand in the short, yet violent fight, as, snarling and pulling back his lips to expose grotesque, twisted tusks protruding from his mouth, the guard whirled around and, jumping up, slammed his fist across the other's chest. Gasping, the first boy slumped against the wall, his freed leg no longer having the strength to keep the guard at bay. He looked up weakly, with wide eyes and gritted teeth, as the guard raised its axe one last time, this time aimed much higher than just his chest…

And in an instant, everything stopped. The chained boy watched with wide eyes as a sudden slicing sound rang through his ears, and a silvery blade shot out from behind the guard, thrusting clean through the pig's center. The blade impaled the guard straight through him, and, its eyes wide, was suddenly still and silent. As the blade was quickly withdrawn, his strength and life gone from him, the pig stumbled backwards once, before succumbing to his injury and falling harshly back on the stone tile.

Having moved away from the fallen guard, and still panting from the excursion, the freed boy in emerald garb looked down upon the pig, his hand slightly shaking as it held up the blade used to stab through the guard. As his breathing returned to normal, he slowly calmed himself, kneeling down to set the sword lightly on the ground and turning towards the other, giving him a grim smile.

"Thank you," the chained boy said with a small, also grim smile of his own as the other lifted the keys, using them to unlock the two chains on his arms.

"Why are you thanking me?" the first asked, laughing once and sending a smile his way, having finished and taking a step back. "You were the one with the plan." Looking down at his feet, he noticed the blade he'd used to kill the guard on the ground… and, bending down once more, picked it up. Strange… he hadn't taken the time to look at it before, but now that he did, held firmly in his grasp, it almost felt… _right_, somehow. The dull, yet still delicately-carved green emerald, set in the sword's hilt, stared strangely back up at him…

The other, now freed from his chains, rubbed his slightly red wrists as he walked around the fallen guard. "You know how to use a sword, then?" he asked idly, raising an eyebrow at the other.

"Um… I guess?" The boy in green gave a weak grin, looking away from the sword. Shrugging, he looked back towards the open door, and the other sword on the table. Exiting the cell and picking the spare sword up with his right hand- (_Wait, so I'm left-handed, too?_ He thought to himself, slightly surprised, as he looked at the blade he'd used in his left hand. _Huh. Weird._ ) – he turned around and lightly tossed it to the other.

The newly freed boy easily caught the other, similar sword in his left hand and swung it outwards, keeping the blade from cutting him. And, in one swift motion, giving the blade a single twirl, he sheathed it in a sword's sheath that was slung around his back. The one who'd tossed the sword wasn't the only one surprised- but even the catcher looked, with slightly wide eyes, at what he'd instinctively done. However, brushing it off, he simply shrugged and looked back towards the other. "Looks like I do, as well," he stated with a short, curt laugh.

This was almost too strange… but, he knew he couldn't dwell on that any longer, and the boy in green shook his head. Looking around him and turning towards the stairs, he sighed as he said, "Well, looks like we were able to get out of the cell." Looking over his shoulder and smiling at the other, he continued, "We should team up to try and get out of here altogether. Who knows what's above those stairs?"

In response, the other nodded, crossing his arms. "That sounds like a reasonable plan," he commented with a small shrug. Smiling, he added with a small hint of a grin, "After all, us two kids were able to get past one bumbling idiot of a guard. What's a few more, really?"

The other boy grinned in response. "That's the spirit," he said with another laugh, sheathing his own sword behind his back. Though he found it strange, as well, that he even _had_ a sheath on his back… this was not the time to wonder about that. Instead, he nodded once more towards his new friend, and together, the two began to walk towards the stairs.

And as the two new friends headed up the stairs, their voices echoing and bouncing off the dark, damp walls surrounding them, one spoke in dry humor to the other, and the other replied in a similar, amused voice.

"By the way… what is your name?"

"No idea. What's yours?"

"Not a clue."

"… Fan_-tastic_."

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><p><strong>-grin-<strong>

**If you think THAT wasn't enough...**

**;) Keep reading...!**

**Enjoy Chapter 5, _Onset_! **


	5. Onset

**Heh, no intro here, either. :D -hides- Enjoy! **

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><p><strong>Chapter Five:<strong> Onset

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><p>Sweat beaded down his forehead and trickled down his neck, his muscles twitching as they tried to ignore the barbs of pain shooting throughout his already-exhausted body. Once more, another jolt of pain shot through his wrists and spread to his body, and he grunted in anger as he was shoved harshly against the stone wall, knocking the breath from his chest, the familiar cold metal closing around his wrists and binding them high against the wall behind him. His face was fraught with fury and clearly showed the pain and exhaustion from his recent exertion, and he stared with cold hatred and frustration at the jailer forcing him back up against the wall.<p>

Snorting, chuckling, and growling in an unfamiliar language, the pig monster laughed in its own, twisted way as it re-affixed the shackles on the boy's blue-clothed arms and legs, shoving him harshly against the cold stone wall of the prison. Its grotesque lips were pulled back, and thick globs of drool dripped from his sneering fangs as it stared back up at the exhausted, chained up child. Upon securing the final chain on his wrist, the guard took a step back as if to admire his handiwork. Its yellow eyes then returned to the boy, and its hideous, bestial laughter resumed- as if mocking him. Mocking the child of his unsuccessful escape attempt.

_What… you think I failed, is that it?_ the boy thought behind his mask of fury and rage, returning the sneer of hatred back at the guard, bold and unafraid. He didn't need to speak out loud- he already knew the stupid little creature wouldn't be able to understand him. And besides- he thought with a smirk, watching in contempt and triumph as the guard turned his back to him and walked out of the cell- he knew _exactly_ what he was doing.

He waited, quiet and unmoving, until the pig-guard had lumbered entirely out of the prison-chamber in which he was chained up, before laughing quietly to himself, his bruised and battered face attesting to the hardships of his previous escape attempt. His mouth grew in a wide, triumphant grin, revealing his teeth- and the small, silver key which was gripped tightly between his jaws.

_You ugly little moron. I didn't fail- __**you**__ failed._ His thoughts were victorious as he continued to grin, maneuvering the key in his teeth until the end stuck out from his mouth, and turning towards one of the shackles on his wrists. True, he'd failed in his first few escape attempts, and, at least out of the first two, didn't have much to show for his efforts except exhaustion- but this last time was different. He'd been caught, yes- but not before stealing and hiding the key to his chains, and to his cell.

The lock clicked soundly in the keyhole, and instantly, the boy jerked his arm free of the chains, flexing his fingers a few times and laughing quietly to himself. The chains had dug into his skin and left red welts across his wrist, but at least the long sleeves of his blue-colored garb had protected him from any blood being drawn. Swiping the key out of the open shackles, he quickly turned around and began to unlock his other wrist, all while still grinning widely and boldly.

_Pft. Those bumbling idiots won't be able to stop me! They won't be able to stop…_ his thoughts trailed off as, despite unlocking his other arm, he suddenly grew slightly morose. Snorting, he tried to dismiss the sullen thoughts as he bent down, trying to unhook the shackles around his legs.

_Yeah, so I still can't remember anything since waking up in this damned prison. So what?_ He slammed himself mentally, gritting his teeth in anger and continuing to try and get his legs free of the lower chains. _It doesn't matter. I'm getting the hell out of this god-forsaken dungeon, and nothing's going to stand in my way. Especially no pitiful excuse for the "guards" they have here._

Finally, finding a latch on the side of his ankle chains, the bracers clicked open, and he slid each foot out in turn, slightly stumbling as he landed back on the stone floor once more. Standing up triumphantly, he laughed as he flipped the key up in the air a few times, reveling in his awesomeness, then snatching it out of the air and quickly pocketing it. None of before mattered much anymore, anyways- he'd found his way out, and he knew, this would be his last escape attempt. He'd make it out for sure, this time!

Without waiting another moment, the boy ran to the door of his cell and took out the key once more, fiddling around with it as he opened the door. Not even bothering to close the door behind him, he instead beamed in triumph as he made a bee's line straight for the stairs-

That is, until, something else caught the corner of his eye, and he froze in his tracks, stopped by an invisible force as it pulled away his eyes from his destination.

Sitting on a ratty, wooden end table by the corner of the stairs, laid two silver swords. Each of them had a golden hilt with a jewel set in the end, and, by the looks of it, the strong, metallic blade was sharp and clean. They didn't at all look like the rusted, ugly blades and axes that he'd seen the guards carrying on his numerous escape attempts- they hardly even looked in place with the rest of the damp, dark dungeon.

Drawn to the swords by a reason he couldn't explain, the boy furrowed his brow as he looked down at the two swords, lying in a heap on top of each other. Nothing protecting them, just… thrown on the table. Curious, he reached out and picked up the sword on top, holding it out and turning it slowly, examining it strangely. The jewel at its end was blue- much like the color of his own attire. And though it was slightly faded… there was no denying that it was valuable, perhaps in more ways than just monetary.

His frown of confusion from before turned upwards into a sly grin. _Well,_ he thought with a short laugh as he easily twirled the sword around in his hand, slashing at the air in front of him once or twice, _since those idiots were so __**nice**__ to leave me this little gift, I think I'll take it with me. No harm in swiping a weapon I might need to get me the hell out of here, right? Not like it'll even be missed._ He grinned again as he tossed the sword lightly up, catching it easily once again. In one of his earlier escapes, he'd managed to swipe and briefly use an enemy's sword- proving to him at that moment that he must've been skilled with blades- so it felt nice to hold another one in his hands again.

With this decision cemented in his mind, the boy grinned and turned towards the exit once more. And yet… something continued to eat away at the back of his mind, and he hesitated, stopping to look over his shoulder at the blade still sitting on the table. He didn't have need for two blades- he wasn't even sure he _knew_ how to use two blades at the same time- but still. A back-up might come in handy, right? And there was no harm in taking it, either.

Smirking, he turned around and swiped the second blade, as well, holding it up and laughing quietly to himself as he twirled it around once. No, he couldn't carry two at once, that'd be idiotic- practically suicidal. However, he suddenly surprised himself as his arm continued to twirl the sword, slashing once in front of him and then deftly swinging it behind his back, sliding it downwards in a quick motion- effectively sheathing it in a leather pouch made specifically for blades which was strapped to his back. He blinked once in confusion after the instinctive move- he didn't even realize he had a sheath on his back. And, ironically, one that exactly fit both blades.

… His thoughts tried to get away from him, but, snorting in frustration, he quickly shook his head to clear them away. _That doesn't matter now. Stop wasting time, genius,_ he chided himself, gritting his teeth and looking away in frustration. _You took both swords, great. Now get the hell outta there before those overgrown pigs come back!_

Without wasting another second, the boy instead grinned and whirled around once more, this time not hesitating an inch as he ran up the stairs towards the heavy, metal door which served as his exit. Grasping the handle firmly in his free arm, he pulled it back with all his strength (_Ungh! This thing is heavy! What the hell is it made of, anyways, cement?-!_ he cursed in his mind as he strained against the door) until it finally gave way beneath his might and swung open. Jumping inside, he was barely able to make it through to the next room before the heavy door slammed shut behind him, with a loud metallic clang.

Instantly, the escapee ducked behind the nearest thing he could find- a large wooden crate next to the door. He knew this room like the back of his hand, due to his previous escapes. Just a bunch of scattered supply crates on the stone-tile ground, and a door at the other end. When peeking over the crate revealed that he was alone in the room, he flashed a grin and eagerly vaulted the box, jumping over it with ease and running towards the door. With a wide grin, the boy eagerly approached the large metal gate, reaching out to grasp the handle with his free hand and…

His heart froze in his chest and his eyes widened, leaping a step back in surprise, as the door suddenly flew open right in front of him, before his free hand could even set on the handle. The large, iron gate had slammed open and against the side of the wall, and the two on the other side of the door stared back in stunned silence, as the boy stared back. However, the split second of surprise between the three did not last long- and the armored pig-guard on the other side of the door instantly snarled and growled, its eyes widening in fury and raising an axe high over its head.

The boy didn't even have time to register just who the second person was who had come through the door along with the guard, as he barely even had time to jump back and cry out in surprise, raising the blade in his hand and using it to deflect the swing of the axe just in time. It didn't matter much, anyways, since it seemed this battle would be one-on-one, against the boy and the guard.

Still grunting and roaring in anger, the pig charged once again, swinging his axe mightily in front of him. Caught up in the heat of battle, his eyes wide and his chest panting, the boy nimbly and almost expertly avoided the slice- grinning as he did so- and twisted around, in the same motion stabbing back with his own weapon. His sword scored across the guard's unarmored shoulder, and as it reeled back in pain, the boy laughed, gaining the upper hand in an instant and refusing to back down. Instead, taking the split-second hesitation as his opening, the boy jumped forward once more, stabbing forward his blade with as much strength in his arm as he could muster.

His aim was true and sharp- his new sword struck dead center in the side of the pig, which, its breath suddenly stolen out of its chest, stumbled forward as the injury took its toll. After a second of enjoying the feel of his sword taking down one of the beasts who had imprisoned him, the boy quickly stepped back, withdrawing his sword out of the guard and watching it fall to the ground. He was still panting lightly, but grinning all the same, and stood in a relaxed position once more.

_Ha!_ He thought triumphantly, _I'm way too awesome to be imprisoned by pathetic little pigs like these. Makes me wonder how I even managed to get here in the first place!_

His thoughts certainly didn't mind tooting his own horn, and he grinned again, just about to turn around and walk out the door when a quiet voice spoke out from behind him, and he whirled around instantly to face the speaker.

Crouching behind one of the crates nearby, a set of blue eyes, capped by bangs of golden-blonde hair, peeked out over the top as the boy hiding behind it nervously cleared his throat, asking the other, "Um… you… are you a prisoner here, too?"

Huh. He'd almost forgotten that there were two people when the door was opened- the first was the guard, and another, it seemed, was a prisoner, a boy- probably being escorted to the empty cell which had been adjacent to his. The boy holding the sword raised an eyebrow curiously, but soon crossed his arms and said with a confident smirk, "Heh. Not anymore. I'm what you would call an 'escapee', now."

The frightened eyes of the other suddenly lit up, and he ventured a little further out of his hiding spot behind the crate. His face now visible to the other, a slightly nervous smile crept over his face as he asked, "So… you escaped? All on your own?" His eyes shone in admiration as he looked in wonder at the other's sword.

"Damn straight," the first answered with a wide grin.

A small silence fell between the two, until finally the boy who was hiding stood up, approaching the other- though still nervous, looking away at times and then back at the other. Nervously, he tugged the end of his red tunic as he asked meekly, "Um… I'm sorta supposed to be locked up here, too, I think, but… Can I come with you?"

The other boy blinked in mild surprise. This kid… short and small, he didn't look like he could punch his way out of a wet paper bag! He scowled briefly as he crossed his arms again. "I dunno, kid," he said with a scoff, "I don't want anything weighing me down. Are you sure you can hold your own?" He narrowed his eyes, looking down critically and doubtfully at the same-aged, yet still slightly smaller boy.

Eagerly, suddenly brightening up, the other boy nodded, grinning widely. The first wasn't real sure why, but… somehow, that welcoming, friendly grin of his almost seemed… familiar.

"Yeah! I mean… I think I can? I'll definitely try my best!" he piped up. Looking over the first one's shoulder, he said with a grin, "I mean, after all, you've got two swords, right? I could use one!"

Still a bit confused, the first boy, clothed in blue, frowned as he reached behind his back with his free hand, taking out the other sword. He raised an eyebrow doubtfully at the other… Then, grinning, threw it over towards him. "Alright, then… _Catch_!" he said suddenly with a laugh, testing the other to see if he had what it took to escape with him.

And yet, both boys in the room were equally surprised as, seeing the sword flying through the air, the smaller boy in red rolled forward, agile and swift on his feet, and jumped up, catching the sword perfectly in mid-air, then falling back to the ground in one easy, fluid motion. The first boy was stunned to silence, and the second, who'd caught the sword, grinned as he stood up.

"See? I can help!" he insisted with an eager nod, still smiling brightly. "Will you let me go with you? Please?"

The first kid frowned, still unsure about the whole thing. Finally, he sighed.

"Well…"

Instantly, shattering the peace of the room between the two boys, the door that the guard had earlier come out of slammed open, through it bursting not one, but two heavily armored guards, snorting and roaring and wildly waving around their axes. The commotion from the earlier fight, or the lack of the guard returning to his post, was most likely what had alerted the two guards to come crashing into the room- but now was not the time to think of that, as both boys, shouting in surprise as they were caught off-guard, jumped backwards, raising their swords defensively against the attack.

The two guards entered the room slowly, advancing upon the boys and snorting, their pig noses twitching eagerly, grinning and snarling and raising their axes above them.

The boy in blue grinned as he tightened his grip on his sword. "I'll take the tub of lard on the left," he said with a bold, brazen laugh, his eyes darting to the boy beside him.

Though still slightly shaken up from the sudden intrusion, the other nodded weakly back, giving a small smile. "And I'll get the dummy on the right!" he answered back with a cheerful grin and a nod.

Laughing, and each inspired by the other, the two kids charged forward, their eyes narrowed in determination yet lit up in confidence as they swung their respective swords forward at the attacking guards.

The guard on the left swung out his axe in a horizontal slice, its blade missing the boy in blue only by inches. He continued to storm forward, swinging his blade back and forth, roaring in anger at each missed swing and making the subsequent attack faster and stronger. And yet, almost as if he were having fun, the boy continued to laugh and dodge each swing, rolling to the side or leaping over a crate in order to evade the swift slice of the axe.

Finally, he'd accomplished what his goal was- and his eyes lit up as he looked over his shoulder, seeing the guard's axe stuck firmly in one of the crates he'd accidentally swung at. The guard was still snarling and growling in fury as it attempted to pull its axe out of the crate- but it was much too late.

With a confident, determined grin, the boy spun around, leaping on top of one of the nearby crates, and swinging his sword high in the air. Crying out loud in a battle cry, the boy jumped up, his sword aimed downwards- and smirked as he felt his blade sink straight down into the back of the guard's neck. The attack had an instantaneous effect, and with a single, last growl, the guard stumbled forwards, slumping limply over the crate. In the same instant, the boy withdrew his blade out of the guard and leapt backwards, landing nimbly back on the ground.

As the first boy went after the guard on the left, so the one on the right quickly advanced upon the smaller boy in red. And though he took a single step back and swallowed, slightly afraid… he gripped his sword all the tighter for it, and narrowed his eyes, determined to finish off this monster and prove to the other that he wouldn't be dragging him down.

However, it seemed this guard was much more careful than the first, and, instead of charging and slashing at random, slowly began to advance upon the boy, grinning sickeningly as it started to corner him up against the wall of the room. The boy's eyes glanced quickly around him, looking at the stacks of crates that lined the wall and were scattered across the floor. He could use these, he knew he could… and, with a grin, looked up at the guard who had finally had him cornered. All he had to do now was wait…

It didn't even take as long as he'd thought before the guard finally acted. With a horrific, gut-twisting roar, the pig leapt forward, slicing the blade of his axe downwards in a heavy, horizontal slash. Where the boy had been standing, the axe surely would have cut right through him- but as the guard noticed with wide eyes, he was no longer there. Instead, the clever, smaller boy had used his size to his advantage and, at the right moment, rolled underneath the guard's legs, avoided the slice, and leapt on top of one of the crates behind him. Without missing a beat, and before the guard could even turn around to find where he went- the boy grinned, whirling around, and sliced his blade clean out in front of him.

His blade cut deep through the back of the guard's neck, and with hardly a sound, the monster fell forward on its knees, then fully collapsed on the ground, quiet and still. Grinning, the boy leapt off the crate, landing right where the other one had just finished dealing with his own guard. The boy in red twirled his sword around him and sheathed it quickly behind his back. Raising an eyebrow, he even mimicked the boy's earlier moves, by crossing his arms and giving the other a sly smirk.

"Well?" he teased with a grin, panting slightly from the efforts- but also noticing that the other was doing the same, as well. "Have I 'earned my keep'?" He stuck out his tongue.

Having only just finished taking care of his own guard, the taller boy blinked in slight surprise at the swiftness of the other boy's victory. However, his shock didn't last long, and he instead burst into a wide grin and laughed. Slinging his arm over the other's shoulder, he beamed as he said loudly, "Hey, that was better than I thought! I underestimated you, kid. We make a pretty good team. C'mon, let's get the hell out of this pig-infested hell-hole."

The other boy broke into a wide, overjoyed grin, his eyes glistening in joy and appreciation. He nearly jumped up in glee, giggling as he nodded to the other in the half-hug, "Yeah! Thanks so much! I promise I won't be a burden!"

Releasing his grip on the smaller boy, the taller one grinned and nodded, sheathing his own sword and turning towards the door. He noticed, with a hidden smile, how easy it was to get open now that he had someone helping him pull it open- and together, the two new friends slipped quietly into the next room.

Like all the rooms before it, it was dark, damp, and cold- but in the distance, the two boys strained their ears, hearing the faint sound of trickling water. Curious, the two boys looked at one another, gripping their drawn swords and carefully walking down the narrow, dark path. And as they continued down the dark tunnel, the water-flowing sounds grew- but at the same time, the passageway grew darker and darker, until it had completely engulfed them both.

"Um… hey…"

The more timid boy's voice echoed quietly through the tunnel.

"What?"

"… I'd tell you my name, but… I, uh… can't really remember it right now."

There was a pause in between the two- and, even though the smaller boy in red couldn't see it, he just knew, by the sound of the other's voice, that a wide grin had spread across his face once more.

"…Heh. Me neither, bud. Me neither."

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><p><strong>The stage is set.<strong>

**Grab your popcorn and get ready for the most intense chapter thus far- Chapter Six: _Unite_! **

**Coming tomorrow! :D**

**P.S. Posted two chapters today so the chapter number would be even with the date. x) (Chap 05 = July 05, etc.)**


	6. Unite

**Alrighty, guys! Get ready for the most _epic_ chapter thus far! :D**

**It's a little longer than the others, but I hope ya'll enjoy it all the more for it! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six:<strong> Unite

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><p>The labyrinth of tunnels and passageways seemed to stretch on for miles in the dark as the two boys, carefully wielding their new swords and sticking close to each other, walked silently through the halls. It had only been about fifteen minutes, the one in purple had guessed, since they'd escaped- and, seeing as how they had no idea how tight security might be in the prison, time was of the essence. So, while they were careful and each kept an eye out for the other, their footsteps were fast as they made haste to the end of each subsequent tunnel.<p>

As they approached the next door at the end of the hall, the light began to grow in the hallway, seeping in through the cracks around the door. The two boys looked at each curiously- each of them heard the soft sounds of running water in the next room. Exchanging a quick nod, the two leaned against the door, pushing it with their combined efforts until it finally gave way and swung inwards, dousing the two children in the light of the next room.

Stepping quietly and carefully into the wide, open room, the two boys walked side-by-side as they looked around to see just what their new surroundings were. The sounds of water running were now loud and clear- and while the one in green stepped forward to look around at the wide-open spaces of the room, the one in purple instead frowned and turned to look to the sides of the room, where the sounds were coming from.

Lining the perimeter of the room, save for the door they'd come through, was a small canal of running water. And while the water flowed out of the room through a small hole in the side of the wall, the source of the water's flow was much more obvious. The boy narrowed his eyes in confusion and concentration as he stared at a small, indoor waterfall on the side of the wall. It flowed out from an opening in the wall above them, and poured down into the small canal.

Finally, the other one who had finished examining the room sighed, shaking his head. "Looks like this is another dead end," he said dejectedly, sheathing his sword and crossing his arms. He glanced back over towards his friend. "Come on, let's turn back and find another way," he said, trying to bring a small smile across his face and setting a hand on the other's shoulder, in hopes of keeping their spirits high during their escape.

However, the other boy continued to stare at the waterfall, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed, as if concentrating very hard on what he was looking at. And though his sword was sheathed behind his back, his arm was slowly raised upwards, his arm reaching behind him...

Slightly unnerved, the boy in green let his hand fall off the other's shoulder and looked at him, worryingly. "Hey... what's...?" he asked, trailing off as he looked at the waterfall the other was staring at. He blinked suddenly- surely... surely he didn't suddenly see something _move_ in that water... did he?

The other boy did not answer, but instead kept his intense, unwavering gaze at the waterfall. Slowly, his fingers began to wrap around the hilt of his sword...

And in that instant, the smooth surface of the flowing water was shattered like glass, each droplet scattering and glistening like crystals, as something came bursting through it, a metallic and sharp blade slicing through the air and its wielder leaping forwards, shouting out in a battle cry as they swung their sword downwards, aiming at the other. However, his hands had firmly gripped the hilt of his blade, and he leapt back, startled but unsurprised, evading the attack and swinging out his own sword widely in front of him.

Stumbling backwards in surprise, the boy in green could only watch as the battle raged between the two, as each swung their swords at the other, dodged the other's attack, parrying and clashing their swords against each other in their intense and sudden duel. Both of their faces were hardened in intense determination- one twisted in fury, the other stone-cold in concentration- and once more their swords arced high in the air, swinging roundly on the other and connecting together high in the air, resulting in a horrible, slicing sound of metal on metal.

The two duelers, panting and heaving, took a step back from one another as they faced each other anew, their eyes narrowed and sights set on nothing else but the other. The boy in purple calmly held his sword out behind him, his fingers tightly wrapped around the golden hilt, and his legs ready to charge forward. The other boy in blue, in turn, snarled as he raised his own sword high above him by his shoulder, gripping it firmly with both hands and his feet placed firmly on the ground, preparing to face the attacker head-on.

And as the two ran once more at each other, it seemed nothing would stop their deadly duel, their swords flashing in the light which danced across the waters and their eyes glistening in determination-

"HEY!"

"STOP!"

And yet, all at once, the two duelers stopped mid-attack, their eyes wide and each taking a surprised step back, as they were forcefully stopped by an intervener who had jumped in front of them.

Panting, surprised as all the others, the boy in green turned around from where he had jumped in front of his friend, his arms out in front of him in his gesture to get the two to stop fighting. While he had only planned to jump between the two, he was just as startled at yet another boy who had joined the fray- only to do as he had done, and shout for the end of the battle while also jumping in between the two attacking boys.

His eyes were also wide in fear, but the boy in red stood resolutely in front of his friend, his arms up and his face pleading.

"What are you doing? We don't know who they are! Get out of the way!" the attacking boy in blue shouted to the one who'd jumped in front of him, his hands still gripped tightly around his blade's golden hilt and his arms raised high over his shoulder.

"What's come over you?" the other fighter equally demanded of his friend, though his sword was lowered- carefully, still keeping an eye on the one who'd attacked him- and he looked cautiously, curiously at his friend. "Let us finish!" he demanded sharply, raising his sword and looking back angrily at the other two boys.

"No!" Once more, all four boys were surprised as the two in the middle shouted firmly at the same time, then looking at each other in mild shock. Both of them had jumped in at the exact same time, urging the other two to stop the fight. As they tried to get over their surprise, they instead turned to each of their friends.

Shaking his head, the boy in green said firmly, "Just look at them! They're kids- probably prisoners, just like us! Why should we be fighting them?" he asked, frowning fiercely and his fists tightened in determination.

"I... I just don't think we should be fighting them, is all! Please?" the opposite boy pleaded to his friend, meekly putting a hand on the other's sword and lowering it down to his side, while still smiling. "I mean..." He trailed off as he finally turned around, getting his first good look at the other two boys. The other two, almost as if in response, also turned to look at each other- and the four boys, brought together unexpectedly, looked in quiet surprise at each of them.

And yet, through their confusion, one question struck each of them as they looked in awe from one boy, to the next, to the one after him, and then back to themselves.

Other than the colors of their tunics... each of the boys who stood there in the large room looked exactly like the one beside him. Their youthful, blue eyes... golden strands of blonde hair peeking out of a pointed hat atop their head... and a near-identical, golden-hilted silver sword either at their hands or behind their backs.

"What the..." the boy in purple narrowed his eyes as the realization dawned him, and took a step back in confusion. "What the heck is going on here?" he demanded sharply, not at all pleased with not knowing just what was going on. "Why do you two look like us?-!"

"H-Hey! I was going to say that!" the other fighter snapped back just as fiercely, his frown contorted into an angry grimace. "Same goes for you, pal!" he said with a huff, "You're the ones who look like us! Just who are you guys, anyways?-!"

"Alright, everyone just _calm down_!" the boy in green suddenly shouted, angry at everyone shouting at the same time. The result was instantaneous- each of the other three suddenly looked at him in light surprise- though still wearing the signs of their anger and confusion at the whole situation.

Sighing, the boy who'd shouted rubbed the side of his temple with his hand and looked sternly at the others. "Look, I don't know what's going on here any more than you guys do, alright?" he said sternly, shaking his head. "But obviously, _something's_ up, and it's not anyone's fault. Let's just all take a deep breath, and put our heads together to try and figure something out."

The other three boys were silent for a while, but eventually the boy in red, slightly smaller than the others, grinned and nodded ecstatically to the other's suggestion. "Yeah!" he agreed with a nod, looking at his friend and the other two, strange boys. "I mean, if we look like each other, then that means we should kinda know each other, right?" The others were silent, not having thought of that before. The boy, still grinning, continued. "If anything, we should be friends! After all, we're all trying to get out of here, right?"

The boy in blue snorted as he crossed his arms- yet still unwilling to sheath his sword, as he looked out of the corner of his eye at the one he'd fought with- and looked back at his partner. "_Friends_? Fat chance, kid," he grumbled, though looked curiously back at the other two. "Alright then," he challenged with a small smirk, jabbing his finger at the boy was apparently taking charge, "Give me _one_ good reason why we should team up with you two."

"... How about fifty?"

The boy in green was certainly not the one who'd answered- and instead, the boy looked over at the one who he'd fought. The calm, quiet boy wore a dry, half-smirk as he jabbed his thumb to the side, and the other three boys eventually followed his gaze, their eyes growing wider by the second.

Through the open door the first two boys had come through, the sounds of rattling bones and horrifying screeches grew and grew as, down the tunnel, each of the boys could faintly see the outline of dozens and dozens of skeletal monsters running, hobbling, and sprinting as fast as they could towards the end of the tunnel. Their teeth clicked and each of the dozens of monsters, as they ran on their skeleton feet, carried with them tiny blades, axes, hammers, or other various weapons. Their eyes were burning red with hatred, their sights set on the four young escapees in the center of the room.

"... Crap! We've been found!" the boy in green snapped as he drew his sword, his eyes narrowing and his fists tightening around his sword. However, a small smirk drew at the end of his mouth, and he said with a side-long glance to the other two, new boys, "Guess we'll just have to fight our way out then, huh?"

While the smaller boy in red had looked slightly frightened by the approaching monsters, he'd gulped and grabbed his own blade as well, offering a weak smile. "Yeah... We can fight pretty well," he continued, looking up at his friend. "But it'd sure be easier if we had help, right?"

Almost expectantly, as the swarm continued to draw closer through the tunnel towards the boys, the boy in purple calmly lowered his blade and looked over towards the boy. He calmly raised an eyebrow at the other, awaiting his response.

The boy in blue grit his teeth in frustration. "Fine," he snapped reluctantly- but his sneer then turned into a bold and unafraid grin as he swung his sword out solidly in front of him and laughed. "Those bags of bones are going _down_!"

Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, so the skeleton monsters had burst out of the passageway, flooding the wide open room. The eyes of the boys widened slightly as the monsters continued to pour out (_Screw fifty,_ the boy in blue thought as he gripped his sword tighter, _there's gotta be **hundreds** of 'em!_), but each of them remained firm where they stood, their swords held out confidently in front of them.

"Ready?" the smaller boy asked with a cheerful grin, looking at the others. Each of the four exchanged wide grins and nodded. Laughing, the boy in red swung his sword and, with a burst of confidence, ran forwards, his sword outstretched. "Chaaarggee!"

The boy's excitement was infectious, and soon all four of the boy were wearing large grins as they raised their swords and, joining in the battle cry, charged forward to battle.

Swords swung left and right, bones falling in heaps and the four boys rolling, dodging, jumping, and evading nearly every hit aimed their way. Though each of them had no idea of it, they were all far skilled fighters than most warriors twice their age, their sword swings expertly executed and each dodge maneuvered with skill. However... even this could not stop the inevitable- slowly, but surely, they were being overwhelmed.

Shouting out against a hit, the smallest boy swung his sword almost desperately as he tried to get the approaching wave of skeletons off of him. Frantically, his eyes travelled across the room as he checked to make sure the others were doing okay-

And instantly, his eyes snapped open as he saw the boy in green, overwhelmed in front of him, unaware of a skeleton slowly sneaking up on him from behind...

"H-Hey! Ah... you! Hey!" the boy cried out desperately, swinging his sword against a skeleton blocking his way as he ran towards the other. Arriving only just in time, his blade swung sideways against the skeleton, dismantling the bag of bones in a single swipe. Whirling around to face the other, the boy in green's eyes widened in surprise.

"What...? Oh, thanks," he stuttered, whirling around just in time. However, then his eyes widened as he shouted, "H-Hey! You! Kid! Behind you!"

The two boys turned to face who the other was shouting at- the bold and brash boy with the loud mouth, waving his sword fiercely around, was being nearly overwhelmed as dozens were swarming him. Whirling around, he slashed his sword in front of him, turning down another attack.

"KID?-! Who're you calling kid, _kid_?-!" he roared back in anger, still caught up in battle.

"This isn't any good," the boy in green sighed as he turned around, once more slashing at a skeleton monster and backing up alongside the other. "We can't just keep shouting at one another!" he said, shaking his head and dodging another attack.

Slicing away another attack and rolling off to the side, the smaller boy found himself panting and looking around in exhaustion, kneeling to the ground as he tried to catch his breath. Weary from the fight, he wasn't sure how much longer he could go on.. his eyes eventually drifted back upwards, and widened once more. The... the boy in blue... he was being overrun again! More were approaching him from behind, he was being slowly surrounded and outnumbered...

"H-hey!" the smaller boy shouted, his eyes wide as he struggled to get up, running towards the other. Instantly, something flashed in his mind- he couldn't tell what it was, but his mouth opened once again, and he shouted as loud as he could,

"HEY! _BLUE_!"

Almost in a heartbeat, the boy in blue clothes whirled around, his eyes wide, at hearing the other shout. Upon seeing the surprise attack thwarted by the other's shout, he growled and instantly sliced away at the enemy, only then to look at his own clothes, then back up and roar, "WHAT did you call me?-!"

"W-Well, it's better than 'kid', right?" the other said nervously as he caught up to his friend, helping him whittle down the numbers of the attacking skeletons by fighting by his side.

"Well, fine, then! If we all have to be colors, then you're RED," the boy shouted with a scowl as he pointed at the other's clothes, then leapt forward, slicing away at a monster that had tried to attack the other from behind.

"Fine with me!" the boy chirped in response, turning to the side and running off to help the others- not noticing the disapproving scowl from his friend. "Hey!" he shouted loudly, running up to the boy in green. Instantly, he grinned as he ran to help him. "Hey! _Green_! Behind you!"

Blinking in surprise- but also turning towards the other's call- the boy in green clothes instantly turned around, catching just in time another skeleton's attack on the side of his sword. He looked back up at the other, and gave a lopsided grin. "'Green', huh?" he asked with a laugh, glancing at his own clothes, then back up again. "Well, I guess that's better than nothing," he said with a nod. "Go help... uh..." he faltered as he looked towards the third boy, dressed in purple, fighting on his own nearby the two.

As if he'd heard their entire conversation from the beginning, after viciously slicing away at an oncoming enemy, the boy in purple quietly looked up at the two, his face fierce and cold. "_Don't_," he snapped harshly, as if knowing just what they would have said. Turning around with a huff, he swung his sword once more, calling bluntly over his shoulder, "If you're going to call me anything, at least make it decent."

The boy in red couldn't help but grin as he nodded towards the one he stood next to, and ran over towards the other to help, all while calling out any name he could think of. "Um... Mauve? Lavender? Orchid?" He glanced over weakly at the other, whose face was still stone-cold, as if disapproving of every name he tried. The boy didn't blame him... he was constantly trying to hide his giggles with every name he offered. And yet... The boy thought once more. "...Violet?" he offered, this time more serious.

Instantly, the sound of bones crashing to the ground shattered in front of him, and the boy jumped back, surprised, as the other boy's sword sliced almost inches in front of him. The calm boy stared simply back at the other, his eyes obviously still disapproving of all the names. However, turning around, he answered shortly and curtly, continuing his fight, "... Just call me "Vio", then."

"Got it!" the smaller boy chirped up with a laugh, turning around and helping him once more thin down the monsters. Slicing left and right, their gold and silver swords swinging high over their heads and plunging through the skeletal bodies of their enemies, the battle didn't last much longer- after all, though there had maybe been hundreds at the start, now that number had whittled down to the singles. And, in only a few minutes, they were all but gone.

Panting from their exertion, all of them equally tired and weary from the fight, the four boys gathered together in the center of the room, stepping over the carnage of bones and rusted weapons to get to each other.

"Well! That was fun!" the boy who called himself Red chirped up with a grin, looking at the others.

"Speak for yourself," the quieter boy, having stated his name as Vio, said as he shook his head and crossed his arms. "That was _exhausting_. I can only hope this means we've eliminated the rest of the prison guards."

"Hah," the bolder boy, reluctantly agreeing to be called Blue, said with a grin. "I wouldn't mind having to fight another of those pigs or two. They're fat and _slow_."

"Well, at least it's over, now," the last of them, content with the name Green, spoke with a nod, looking over each of them with a small smile. "And I guess now it makes it easier, that we can call each other some kind of name until we get out of this place."

"Don't even get me _started_ on those," Blue snapped with a growl. "As soon as I figure out my real name, we're dropping these stupid nicknames."

Laughing, Green shook his head. "Fine with me," he said, holding up his arms defensively, but giving a smile. "Hey, I'd be happy if I could remember my name, too."

However, opposite of Blue's anger, Vio instead gave a quiet smile and turned to nod towards Green. "As I thought... they're both experiencing amnesia, as well." He turned towards Red, giving a smile. "Am I correct?"

Frowning, Red nodded. "Yeah. Neither of us can remember a thing, really," he said with a sigh.

And yet, despite the sad news, Vio continued his smile. "That's not necessarily a bad thing, given the situation," he said simply. When the others stared at him, he shrugged and pointed out, "Think about it. Each of us have lost our memories- and, to boot, we all look just like each other. Not to mention our swords are nearly identical," he added, holding his own sword out. As the others did the same, staring at the swords each of them held, he shrugged and said, "There's a high probability we actually do know each other, even if we can't remember it. If anything, this means we need to stick together."

"Agreed," Green said firmly with a nod. He then gave a smile. "Besides, we obviously have a better chance of getting out of here when we work together. I mean, look what we did to that horde of skeletons!" he added with a laugh, looking at the wreckage of bones around them.

"Damn straight!" Blue shouted with a wide grin, swinging his sword out in front of him. "I don't care if the devil himself shows up here, we'll run 'im through just like we did these skeletons!" he added with a laugh.

And yet, in response to the boy's words, another voice spoke to them- but, as the four noticed with wide, surprised eyes- it was not one of theirs.

"...'The devil himself', huh? ...Well, now! Is that an invitation, or... a _challenge_...?"

The voice didn't belong to either of the four boys, but within an instant, they'd whirled around and looked up, following the sound of the voice to where it led. Their eyes trailed upwards, and their mouths slightly opened in surprise at what they saw there.

Hovering above them in the air, sitting down in a relaxed state as if he were lying on a couch, a young boy about their age looked down at the four of them with a dark glare and a soft smirk. He was dressed almost exactly like they- except his clothes were of the purest black, and even his dark locks of hair melted in with the shadows behind him. His face seemed somehow familiar to the four boys... However, most unmistakably different were those red eyes that burned down, mockingly and tauntingly, at the four children.

"I'm flattered," the boy spoke again with a harsh laugh and a smooth, sarcastic voice. He grinned, flashing a set of fangs. "We haven't even met yet, and here you are, complimenting me. Really, I'm touched."

The first to respond was the one who'd first issued the challenge, and Blue stepped forward, snorting in annoyance and growling in anger. "Skip the small talk," he snapped in impatience as he drew his sword. "Just who the hell are you?" he demanded. The others rallied around him, but looked slightly worried- not as angry as he- as they kept their gazes on the boy in front of and above them.

The boy was silent for a moment, but his cocky, sneering grin remained. After a moment, he laughed lazily. "Oh, I don't think you kids need to be worrying about that right now," he teased with a sinister grin. Slowly, he began to raise one of his arms, a dark ball of shadow forming around his idly open hand...

"You have a much _bigger_ problem on your hands right now, after all..." he continued as he laughed, the sphere of dark magic growing bigger around his fingers. And as it grew larger, the boys on the floor found themselves taking a step back... and just as they stepped barely out of reach, with a sharp laugh, the boy floating above them flung down the ball of shadow magic on the ground beneath them.

Instantly, as the boys jumped backwards, the magic which slammed on the ground exploded in a flash of brilliant, black light, throbbing and swarming as it grew in size and density. The boys could faintly hear the sound of the strange boy laughing, but soon, they could no longer see him through the dark, billowing clouds of blackness rising above them. Each of the boys gripped tight their sword... yet none of them were prepared for what finally stepped out of the darkness.

A single, armored foot slammed on the ground, soon followed by another, with stamped firmly on the rock tile as it gained its bearings in the dungeon. Standing out of the shadows, wielding a giant and long pole which ended in a terrible, hooked scythe, the giant, Armored Stalfos King sneered down at the children through its rusted, metal helmet.

Raising its skeletal-arms, the Armored Stalfos King roared in fury as it took a step forward and swung outwards, it scythe cleaving through the very fibers of the world. The beast of the chambers swiftly advanced upon the four lone children, the swirling clouds of shadow magic around them now fully engulfing them all in darkness.

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><p><strong>Green, Vio, Blue and Red, four prisoners who have woken up without their memories, have now teamed up against these strange, new enemies- and, thanks to the timely appearance of a strange boy who shares their appearance, they are now having to face against the master of the dungeon... <strong>

**Will the four unlikely friends be able to work together to defeat this enemy? Or will their amnesia be their downfall?**

**Find out in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Seven: _Blitz!_**


	7. Blitz

**The fight against the Armored Stalfos King commences!**

**Hold onto your horses, and get ready for the ride! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven:<strong> Blitz

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><p>As the massive skeleton king roared, opening its skull jaws wide and lunging forward with its long, hooked scythe, each of the four kids leapt backwards to avoid the strike, their eyes wide in shock and surprise and their hands gripping tight to their respective swords. None of them could have imagined the beast which had stepped out of the shadows, summoned by the strange yet eerily familiar boy in black, but there it stood in front of them- three or four times their size, towering over them and swinging out its deadly, slicing blade.<p>

"Wh-what the hell is that _thing_?-!" Blue was the first to shout, his face contorted in surprise and anger as he raised his sword above him, looking spitefully at the Armored Stalfos King. He wasn't even sure how he knew its name- nor were any of the others, as the beast's title had suddenly and inexplicably appeared in their thoughts- but, as a bunch of strange things had already happened, he was merely grouping it along with the rest and focusing on the gargantuan King in front of them.

"He's charging for another attack!" Vio snapped suddenly, taking a step back with his wide eyes focusing on the King's blade, which was slowly being lifted high behind its wielder's shoulder. Vio raised his own blade, yet swung it to the side as he took another step back, indicating to the others to be prepared. "Prepare yourselves!" he shouted loudly, taking a step back and keeping his gaze on the beast's scythe.

"Green, look out!" Red suddenly cried, his own gaze following the blade- yet seeing, in an instant, just where it was aimed. Taking heed of the other's advice, Green's eyes darted to the side and, instantly finding space around him, tucked his blade close to him as he rolled quickly off to the side. A second later, the ground shook with the vibrations of the blade slicing straight down into the ground, metallic sparks flying around the room as the blade scored against the rough stone of the floor, leaving behind it a smooth scar, ground in by the deadly-sharp tip of the scythe.

"Be careful, guys!" Green shouted, still panting from having dodged the attack. He still felt the blast of wind which had sliced by him from the sheer wind of the attack- he shuddered to think what might have happened if he hadn't gotten out of the way in time...

Narrowing his eyes and gripping even tighter the hilt of his blade, Blue ground his teeth in frustration. "The hell are you guys afraid of?" he snapped spitefully at the other three, who still seemed to him to be shaking in their boots. "It's just an overgrown skeleton! Charge it like the ones before!" he finished with a roar, ignoring the cries of the other as he turned around and, sword high, ran full speed towards the monster.

"Blue, no!" Red shouted in vain as the more headstrong boy of the four raced forward, unafraid, into the fray. It was much too late for him to call, or even attempt a rescue, however- for, almost as soon as Blue had ran up to the skeleton, his sword raised as he aimed at slicing his blade clean through the skeleton's leg, all four boys were caught off-guard, and three watched with horrified eyes as Blue's attack never met its target. Instead, once more twirling its hideous, deadly scythe in the air, the Stalfos King sneered- as best a skull could sneer- and took a step back, slicing in a downwards circle at the pitiful boy who'd dared approach him.

It was only through luck that Blue's eyes darted to the side, a split second before the blade swung down at him- and, though he attempted to jump off to the side to avoid it, he was nowhere near in time missing it altogether. Instead, the side of the blade slammed against him and sent him flying backwards, shouting in fury and pain. His landing was not a smooth one, either- and a second boy suddenly shouted in rage and anger as Blue flew right into him, sending both him and Vio into a tangled heap on the ground.

"_Idiot_! Get off of me!" Vio snarled, shaking in fury as he attempted to push Blue off of him. What the heck was he thinking, charging in recklessly like that?-! He could've gotten himself killed! And even then, he'd landed right on top of Vio, hurting one of his own friends in his stupid bid for glory.

"Well, I'm SORRY I couldn't aim my own damn fall!" Blue retorted back, also struggling against the other as he stumbled up off the ground, falling to his knees on the ground beside him, his chest heaving and his muscles shaking with the pain of the attack. At least he'd _tried_, he thought bitterly, unlike the other three, who had been simply standing there with their mouths open. What did they expect, that standing there would make it instantly explode and they'd win, just like that?-!

"Guys! Knock it off!" Green suddenly shouted at the both of them as he and Red ran over to the two, kneeling down into a small huddle and looking up at the Stalfos King. It was snarling once more, slowly advancing upon the four children. Its gait was slow, but not at all lumbering- instead, it strode forward almost lazily, as if taking its time to kill the four helpless children before it. His eyes wide and serious, Green looked back at the other two. "We'll need to work together to beat this thing!" he snapped, angry at the two fighting kids. Sure, they'd gotten off to a rocky start, but if they didn't want to be sliced to pieces, he thought grimly, they needed to sort that out _later_.

"Uh, anyone have any ideas?" Red asked weakly as he stood and backed away, looking up worriedly at the Stalfos King as it grew closer to the four children. "We're kinda running out of time, here...!"

"It's that damn armor," Blue grunted, getting to his feet and looking hatefully back up at the King. His gaze jerked firmly back to the others. "I saw it when I was up close. It's not connected that well to his bones- If we can somehow slice its armor away, we'll be able to cut it down like the other skeletons."

"And since YOUR plan of running in like a blinded _fool_ didn't work," Vio said coldly as he pushed himself to his feet, casting a bitter glance at Blue before looking at the others, "I suggest we split up, attack it from different angles."

"No time left!" Green shouted loudly, his eyes widening as the Stalfos King now raised its blade, preparing another slice at the four children. "Just do it!" he added loudly, running off to one side with his sword held firmly out in front of him.

"Be careful, everyone!" Red shouted with a weak, though worried, smile, as he too picked up his sword once more and ran an opposite direction around the Stalfos, still keeping his eyes carefully fixed on it as he tried to find an opening through which to attack.

Last to move were Blue and Vio- having both got to their feet, the two stood and looked up with angry glares at the approaching Stalfos. After Green and Red had both left, Blue snorted and shot angrily at Vio before he ran to the side, "Don't get in my way." Before the other could even retort, he'd bolted off to the side, keeping as best he could equal distance between the other three as they rounded around the King.

Vio's eyes narrowed. What was that guy's problem? Well, either way, Green was right- they didn't have time now for their bickering. And even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Blue seemed to be right at one thing- get that armor off, and they'd have a fighting chance.

His eyes shot up to the Stalfos King as its blade came whistling down, faster than anything he'd ever seen (or could remember seeing, for that matter), aiming straight for the boy left standing in front of him. Acting quickly, Vio rolled towards the King, the blade missing the top of his hat by inches and making a sharp, deadly whistling sound as it passed over him. His eyes darted from side to side- if he could keep the King distracted, then-

Interrupting his face came the loud roar of the Stalfos as it stumbled forward, jerking its head around and looking with burning, red eyes at its left leg. As Vio had thought, while the King was distracted by attempting to stab Vio, another boy had darted in and seized the opportunity. Red's blade scored fiercely against the metal of the armor protecting the skeleton's exposed bone, and, with a metallic shriek and a shower of the sparks, the plate of armor was flung off, skittering off the stone ground and exploding in a small burst of shadows as it hit the stone.

Stepping back and turning to the side, the Stalfos King shrieked in anger as, no longer wasting time with theatrics, sliced its blade firmly across the ground at the boy who'd dislodged part of his armor and sent it exploding into oblivion. With a terrified yelp, Red jumped off to the side, practically stumbling as he rolled away from the slice, evading it by sheer luck. Running off to the side, however, and looking over his shoulder in panic, Red's eyes widened as he watched the King running after him, its heavy footsteps slamming against the stone and leaving cracks in the ground where it'd left.

"Red!" Green gasped, watching the King chase after Red- he could see, running after them both, that it was going to try and corner the boy into the sides of the walls, hoping to trap it and use its deadly, grim reaper-like scythe to end the boy's fight. "Guys, stop him!" he shouted to the other two, looking to Blue and Vio- those closer to the Stalfos than he was.

The two hardly spared a glance to each other as they ran, focused and determined, after the Stalfos King. Closest to where Red had run, Vio's eyes narrowed- then widened in an instant- as he reached the Stalfos' still-armored leg, and swung his blade in a fierce and swift arc in front of him. The tip of his blade just barely caught the edge of the armor as the King continued to run, but it was enough- and, with a sharp, screeching sound, the armor came flying off, once more exploding almost as soon as it hit the ground.

And not a split second later did a similar explosion come from the other side of the Stalfos- in an impressive move, his face twisted in fury and determination, Blue had found leverage against the exposed knee cap of the King, and used it to jump upwards, slicing his blade high above him and sending a piece of its arm's metal plating shooting out into the sky, exploding before it even hit the ground.

Now cornered, Red could only look up, his eyes wide in fear, as the King ran towards him- but as the other two children attacked nearly at once in his rescue, his eyes lit up as he watched the giant Stalfos roar in fury, turning away from his cornered prey and instead exchanging infuriated glances between both boys. Both Vio and Blue had backed away considerably since their attack, each taunting the villain with their smirks and trying to lure it away from the trapped Red. Angered by the decision of attacking either one of his enemies, the Stalfos King roared as it stomped the ground in fury, slashing its scythe out at them in various angles and sides.

And in that instant, with his back turned to Red and his eyes focused on either side of him at Blue and Vio, the last of the four made his move. Charging head-first into battle, though keeping a careful eye on where the attention of his target lay, Green held his sword out carefully behind him as he ran straight up to the Stalfos King. The massive skeleton didn't even see it coming- and screamed in pain and fury, stumbling backwards, as Green's blade sliced straight through his main armor piece, the one tightly fitted around its ribcage. His blade, glowing strangely- yet powerfully- in his grasp, had cut through the tough hunk of metal like it was butter. And as he landed nimbly back on the ground, he couldn't help but look up at the slice his sword had made in the King's chest-piece.

Where Green's blade had dug into the tough hunk of armor, there was now a brilliant, bright slice running straight down its center. Infuriated, the Stalfos King raised a hand as it covered the damaged metal, stumbling backwards. And while Red evaded the stomping, staggering feet of the Stalfos, running up to the others, the other three grouped together in a small huddle as they regrouped and looked up at what they'd accomplished thus far.

"That center-piece is the key!" Vio snapped, panting slightly, weary from contributing to the effort which had brought about the single slice in its chest armor. His urgent eyes looked back at the other three who stood grouped together. "If we can get that off, I'll bet anything we'd be able to defeat him!"

His hands on his knees and also huffing, Red grinned weakly as he nodded. "Y-yeah," he added, catching his breath and then standing back up next to the others. "One more time, guys," he continued cheerfully, giving them all a reassuring nod. Though their faces were laced with sweat and each of their muscles twitched in pain and exhaustion, he knew they had to keep going.

"Not a problem!" Blue roared with a confident, triumphant grin. His breath also came in deep, heavy gasps, also weary from the current fight- but his blood was pumping, and his face was burst into a wide grin. He ignored the aching cries of his muscles and his own exhaustion slowly wearing him down- there wasn't any time for weakness. He was ready to take on the _world_, if he had to!

"Then let's do it again," Green added, nodding grimly, as he tried to hide his own exhaustion. "Distract it, overwhelm it, and then land the end blow," he stated firmly, looking back at the Stalfos King. As they'd taken those few, precious seconds to regroup and regain their energy, the infuriated monster had been stomping around the room in rage, slicing at nearly everything and anything with its blade. He knew, however, that its fury would soon subside- and it would be once again directed at the four.

Sure enough, as Green had predicted, the Stalfos was regaining its lucidity, and, its random blows subsiding, instead turned to look once more at the four kids who had dares challenge it. Its red eyes, burning in rage, narrowed as it looked down at the impudent escapees. With a loud roar, stepping forward, the King once more lashed his impressive, powerful scythe out in front of him, charging ruthlessly into battle.

Without needing to converse any longer, the four boys grinned as they did as before- splitting up, with each child surrounding them, the children effectively began to confuse and distract the King. Having slowed down as it reached them, the Stalfos was now roaring in anger and confusion as it turned from one boy to the other, lashing its scythe out in one area only to see another boy to his side, and then turning to attack that one- yet, again, only to see that it was nowhere in sight, and that a new one was taunting him from the other side.

And- when the time was right- Blue's grin flashed once more as he charged forward, towards the unaware monster, his sword brandished high over his head. He was nearly laughing, then, as he repeated the other's move- jumping off an exposed bone of his enemy and leaping upwards and forwards- and sliced his blade as high as he could reach, grinning in satisfaction as he felt his blade dig deep into the metal which was still solidly wrapped tight around the skeleton's ribcage.

As he landed, showers of sparks from the metal and sword's contact rained down around him, and Blue quickly rolled out of the way of the Stalfos' infuriating stomping, meeting up with the other three boys and looking up at the wounded King.

The plate of armor secured firmly around its chest, now with two deep rifts gouged in its center, glowed furiously in the white light of its wounds, the light slowly yet surely consuming it... and though it roared in fury, the Stalfos was helpless to do anything as it instead watched as the central piece of armor affixed to its chest exploded as the others done, wrapped in electrical-current-like barbs of white light, shattering it from the inside-out and blasting it into oblivion.

In an almost chain-like reaction, as the main centerpiece of the armor was shattered, the rest of its armor soon followed- the plates covering its bony shoulders, legs, and arms exploded in quick succession, nearly engulfing the monster in their dying blasts of blackened smoke, until not a single shred of metal was left on the towering, monstrous skeleton.

And after the smoke of the explosions had cleared, a single, bright light glowed from the center of the Stalfos' chest- a bright, red diamond, glowing in a fierce and deadly light, was situated deep in the center of the skeleton's rib-cage, exposed and open for all to see.

The room grew still and silent as the boys stared up at the opened weakness- and even the Stalfos himself was still as he stood, silently, looking down at his opened chest, and then back at the children.

Breaking the silence, Blue grinned as he gripped his sword tight. "That did it!" he laughed triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear. After all their hard work, now exhausted and weary, they'd finally managed to bring the brute down. He laughed. "We've won!"

However, the answers from the others was not what he was expecting- a quiet silence, as the others looked worriedly at each other, then back up at the Stalfos King, who had remained standing still, looking fiercely at the children.

Doubt ate at Green's chest, and he looked with quiet worry at the Stalfos. True... something inside him told him, this should be it. They'd found the monster's weakness, worked together and destroyed it. What else was there to do? Why then... it was still there... Surely it wasn't...?

Green was not the only one facing the question before them. Vio's eyes narrowed in concentration. Something was eating at him, trying to tell him something... One successful defeat should be enough to defeat an enemy, it had _always_ been like that before, hadn't it? His eyes widened, surprised at his own thoughts. _Before_... before _what_? Was he... trying to _remember_ something? However, just as soon as that thought occurred to him, it was gone, and he grit his teeth in frustration, his eyes looking back up at the monster in front of him.

"I... I'm not so sure, Blue..." Red whined quietly, slowly shuffling behind them as he looked up at the King in worry. While he had been secretly hoping, somewhere deep inside him, that it should have been enough... he still saw plain in front of him, the Stalfos King, still standing tall and looking down hatefully in front of them. What... what was going on?

And yet... as if to confirm the fears of the four boys, once more, that hateful, disgusting sneer grew over the skull of the monster, the Stalfos taking a single step back and holding horizontally up in front of him his scythe. His bony fingers of both hands wrapped around the long handle of his weapon- and, as a dark, purple light began to grow from his hands, the boys watched in horror as the King jerked his hands apart- and what happened next, none of them could hardly believe, as their hearts sank in their chest at what they saw.

As his hands jerked apart, each holding onto his single scythe, the scythe itself seemed to separate into two- yet, drawing his arms wide apart, each, new scythe was just as long as the first one. The deadly weapon had been duplicated- and yet, as the boys continued to watch with growing despair, something else had formed at the other end of each weapon. A second blade, arced and sharp as the one before it, grew from the tip of each new weapon.

Snarling, the Stalfos King raised both of his double-bladed scythes high above his head, letting the red gem glisten at the boys- almost tauntingly, daring the boys to even try getting close to its precious, blood-red surface. Yet in the next instant, with a terrifying cackle and a snarl which mixed together into a horrible battle cry, the Stalfos took a fierce step forward, slicing the air in front of him with both scythes. And yet, instead of a single slice, the blades continued to twirl menacingly in the air- the double-bladed scythes had now become an even more terrible weapon, striking the ground with every rotation and causing the sparks to leap from the ground, showering the blades and the very room in its flashing, yellow lights.

No longer was the armored skeleton a heavily-protected monster of defense with a single weapon for attack- now, forgoing defense entirely, the beast wielded not one, but two terrible, destructive weapons, slicing them in an ongoing, full-force barrage of attacks as he went on the full-out offensive against the four children.

With that same deadly smirk from before, eyeing hungrily the four boys in front of him, the Stalfos King cackled as he began to slowly walk forward, the double-ended blades in his hands still slicing away at the ground in front of him and the sparks advancing upon the children, the King and his blades growing closer and closer both to the four, helpless children, and to ending the fight right then and there, once and for all.

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><p><strong>Ffffuuuuuuuu-<strong>

**...Just kidding. xD**

**What's this? One attack no longer works? Instead, the four boys are now having to face their enemies in not one, but _two_ stages! -le gasp-**

**The fight continues on in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Eight: _Divergence_!**


	8. Divergence

**The fight rages on against the Stalfos King and the four prisoners... Who will emerge victorious?**

**Read on to find out! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight:<strong> Divergence

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><p>The sparks continued to fly around the large room, glistening like shards of blazing glass as they rained all around the approaching Stalfos King, growing closer and closer to the four boys who stood close together, looking up in horror at the rejuvenated enemy. Each of them had been so sure that their previous attacks would have done the job, defeated the monster... but for all their efforts, it had merely exposed the King's true weakness- the shining red stone set in the center of its ribcage. In order to truly end the fight, defeat the Stalfos King and keep from being sliced to pieces... they each knew, they now would have to go after that gem.<p>

But as the two, double-ended scythes continued to whirl around the King, digging swiftly and deeply into the stone ground beneath them and shielding the approaching Stalfos with its never-ending swings of the sharp blades, this seemed nigh on impossible.

Time was running out- the King was nearly upon them, and the kids could feel the slicing winds the blades brought witch each swing closer and closer towards them. Though they had taken a few instinctive steps back as he had begun his tirade, it was instantly apparent that this was no longer an option.

"Guys! Get back!" Green finally shouted, his eyes narrowed in concentration yet his heart flipping inside of him in fear and hopelessness. Without even responding, the four boys instantly did as they were told, running backwards and to the side, trying to evade the oncoming storm of sparks and the twirling, vicious scythes. The room was wide and large- but as they ran back, all found themselves slowly being backed up against the wall. And they all knew- they couldn't keep running forever.

"Argh! _Screw_ this, damnit, we need an _attack_ plan!" Blue swore loudly as the four were slowly backed up against the wall. Beads of sweat formed across his temple, and his teeth were ground tightly together in frustration. As the children had been running away, the King of the Stalfos merely laughed- the sound hollow and rattling in his empty chest, the sound bouncing off of each of his bones- and slowly followed them. His red eyes continued to stare hungrily at the boys- almost as if it knew, no matter how much time he took to get to them, they would eventually succumb to his blades.

"And just what do _you_ suggest, genius?" Vio snapped back, just as angrily, and just as frustrated by their situation. His eyes looked up at the Stalfos, and his mind went running as fast as it could- how in the world could they get to that dang jewel? He knew that was the way to defeat it, just _knew_ it, but how in the world would they ever reach it?

"Hey!" Green shouted, jerking their attention away from their quarrels and back to him. His eyes were also narrowed in tight, fierce determination, and his hands were balled up into fists, one hand tightly clenching his sword. "Come on, guys, _think_! We need to get at that jewel, but with his swords like that, we can't," he said, shaking his head and looking at the laughing Stalfos.

"Guys...!" Red whined, his voice growing louder and his eyes growing wider as the King got closer and closer. The three of them were still engrossed in arguing, and if they kept it up, they would be trapped and overrun by the blades... His eyes travelled back towards the Stalfos and its scythes. His eyebrows jumping up, his gaze suddenly shot to the side- an opening! If they were quick, they could run off to the side without getting it, and have the rest of the room to get around.

"Hey! Guys! Use that opening! I'll distract it so you guys can get out the other side!" Red shouted at them, snapping them all out of their fight. Red shouting was something none of the others had heard him do yet- and though he was as surprised at himself as the others were, he still tightened his fists and narrowed his eyes- though he was smaller than them, he thought determinedly, he was still going to make them do what he said! "Now!" he shouted angrily- and the others, too surprised to argue, nodded and turned, running towards the side. As Red expected, the Stalfos was watching them, and slowly began to turn to thwart their escape and trap them once more...

Why was he doing this? He wasn't sure, himself- but something told him, something he couldn't quite understand, that it would be okay. He knew what he was doing- even if he didn't (_as strange as that sounds_, he thought humorously). Without wasting another moment, the small boy ran out the opposite direction, towards the King, yet leading him in the opposite direction of the other two.

"Hey! Skull-head!" Red snapped at the monster, grabbing its attention. The hungry, red eyes followed the sound of the boy's voice and, turning towards him, flashed another sickening grin. Red gulped- he was up against the wall, now. If his plan went well, everything would be fine. If not...

He shook his head. No, he wouldn't think about that. Instead, he gave a grim smile as he looked up towards the King. That's right, he thought, lure it as close to the wall as you can... And, at just the right moment he was expecting, the Stalfos King cackled and lunged forward, slicing its blades right at the wall where the boy stood.

"RED!" the other three shouted, on the other side of the Stalfos, their eyes wide in panic as they tried to look past the King to see if their friend was alright.

And yet, at the exact second he had planned, Red grinned- and leapt forward, hoping to do as he'd done earlier with the pig-guard in the storage room and run beneath its legs. What he wasn't expecting, though, catching him off-guard in a split second, was the second blade which sliced inches in front of him-

Eyes wide, without even realizing what he was doing, Red shouted in surprise as his free arm jerked behind his back, and out from behind him he whipped out in front a sturdy, metallic shield. Though he was surprised by this seemingly sudden appearance of the shield, he wasted not a second as he held it up in front of him, sliding forwards as he had originally planned.

The sound of metal slicing on metal was heard sounding throughout the room, and the three boys on the other side, their eyes wide, cried out in despair as they leaned forward, fearing the worst.

And yet, from under the Stalfos King, Red slid in between his monstrous, skeletal legs, the sturdy and heavy metal shield held firmly in his right hand. The scythe had struck straight across his shield, leaving a small indentation- but otherwise, the boy behind it was fine. Grinning and panting, Red scrambled to his feet, running over to the others- he knew it would be only a matter of time before the Stalfos realized his error, turned around, and went back after them.

"Red! Are you okay?-!"

"What happened?-!"

"Where the hell did you get that?-!"

The three other boys bombarded him with questions, but as he approached them, grinning, Red shook his head.

"I've had it on all along and never noticed!" he spilled out with a large grin, holding up this new, strange shield. "Check your backs, too! I think we've all got one on!" he pointed out.

Curious, and still surprised, the other boys reached behind them- and each of their eyes went wide as they all pulled out a similar looking shield- hexagonal and medieval-style in shape, glistening with silver and blue paint and emblazoned with the shape of a golden eagle on its front. How in the world had they not even noticed they had a shield on their backs the whole time? Were they just naturally accustomed to it, and therefore hardly felt its presence? Of course, this would mean...

Red shook each of them out of their thoughts as he spun around, facing the Stalfos and raising his shield. "We can use these!" he shouted eagerly with a grin. "If we do the same thing as before, only protecting ourselves from his slices with the shields!"

Green was the first to speak- after having looked at the others, he grinned back at Red and nodded, raising his own shield. "Sounds like a plan!" he said with a laugh, looking at the others and smiling. "Same as before, guys!"

"Just remember, he has two blades this time, instead of one," Vio stated firmly with a nod- though he, too, couldn't hide the smile that spread as he lifted his own shield.

"Give me an opening, and I'll give you his head!" Blue roared with a large grin and a loud laugh, looking to the others with a nod. He wasn't particularly fond of shields, he'd much rather use his sword- but he wouldn't doubt that it was a smart decision against the advancing blades.

The Stalfos King had recovered from his failed attack and, turning around, hissed in an evil, guttural growl as its sights once more set on the four children before it. Screeching once more, the sound reverberating off its rattling bones, the King now rapidly ran towards the children, viciously swinging its double-edged, dual scythes. Minutes before, the intimidating sight would have terrified with the defenseless children- but thanks to Red, and the discovery of their shields, they grinned, ready for the fight.

Just as they did the first two times, the four boys split up and began to run around the Stalfos, keeping just out of reach of the scythes- yet throwing up their shields when a blow was aimed their way, or rolling to the side and using their shields to deflect one of the scythes away from them. Infuriated, the King continued to roar in fury, stomping around wildly and swinging his blades nearly at random. And as its anger grew, each of the boys knew, so its awareness would shrink- making it easier to distract and thus, easier for one of them to maneuver in and strike at the gem at its center.

The fight continued this way for several minutes, with each boy laughing as they dodged a hit, or used their shield to protect them from an incoming blade- all the while taunting the enemy- staying on the defensive, yet waiting for just the right opening to land the final attack.

And as the Stalfos King, screaming in rage, continued to storm around, swinging its scythes every way and now only blindly aiming each attack, that opening was finally found- and seized.

Leaping forward, as the moment became just right and the timing perfectly laid out for him, Vio's eyes narrowed in intensity and his gaze fierce in determination as he lunged forward, darting in between the swinging blades and past the incoherent watch of the raging Stalfos King. The split-second opening, with the Stalfos' arms raised and his scythes slicing out in front of him, was all the precise and careful boy needed- and, leaping off another ledge so graciously provided by the exposed King's leg bone, the young boy in purple swung forward his sword, its tip carefully and precisely diving straight through the line of ribs and piercing deep into the red gem, shattering it on contact.

The others, their part completed, backed away from the King, grinning as Vio rejoined them and also turned to look at the fatally wounded Stalfos. As soon as the jewel had shattered, the end of Vio's blade impaling it through its center, all of its attacks had ceased instantly, and the giant King staggered back, its eyes wide in surprise and shock. The four children then watched, with weary and tired eyes, yet triumphant smiles, as the King slowly turned his eyes upwards, his very body frozen in place, and the harsh, red light pouring out of its shattered gem...

In instants, the red light had entirely consumed the screaming Stalfos King, plunging the rest of the room in its eerie, blood-red glow. A slow, deep rumbling sound began to echo from the depths of the skeleton's chest... And, in a blast of brilliant red-and-black light, the center of the being, engulfed in the light of the destroyed gem, quickly imploded upon itself, sucked into a hole of nothingness- then promptly, in another flash of light and a torrent of smoke, exploded outwards throughout the room, sending billowing pillars of shadowy magic plunging outwards in all directions.

And yet, as the smoke faded and the children, who had previously shaded their eyes from the harsh light, looked into the dying waves of darkness, the form of the giant Armored Stalfos Knight was no longer... light from an unseen source filtered through the smoke, and in seconds it had all but dissipated, leaving nothing behind but the four boys in the wide, empty dungeon.

Some seconds of silence passed between the children as they reveled in their victory- but soon it was broken, as the one in blue grinned, jumping upwards and laughing, thrusting his fist triumphantly into the air.

"HELL yeah! _Now_, we've won!" he roared with a laugh, jumping up and turning to the others beside him, his grin wide as it stretched from one ear to the other.

His enthusiasm spread to all of them, and soon, all of them were laughing and cheering along with one another, patting each other on the back and talking excitedly about how awesome each of them had been in the fight. Green was congratulated on landing the first blow on its centerpiece and guiding them through the fight- Blue, in turn, got his own praise for being the one to shatter it completely and expose its weakness. Red blushed as the others went on and on about him discovering the shields, and even Vio smiled quietly to himself as the others talked about how he had found just the right moment to strike at the jewel and end the fight, for good.

And yet, as they went on and on, each of them began to notice a strange sound accompanying their words... and as they fell silent, each of them could make out the sound of someone lightly, slowly clapping. Each of them looked strangely at the other- none of them being the source of it- and, in an instant, all four of them whirled around, looking up at the sky where the sound was coming from.

A dry smile was on the boy's face as he idly clapped his hands together in mock applause to the four children. He was the same one from earlier- the one who'd appeared seemingly out of nowhere and summoned the Stalfos which had tried to kill them. On his face was a dry, sarcastic smirk, and he looked down in mild amusement at the four kids.

"_Bravo_," he said in that same, sarcastic voice from before, laughing idly and grinning widely. He ceased his clapping and instead once more sat down on the nothingness of the air he hovered in, crossing his arms and giving an amused smirking. "Well done. I must say, I'm impressed."

The smiles and enthusiasm of the boys had been all but quenched upon the boy in black garb's return, but the more energetic one of the bunch instantly turned his grin into a snarl and took a step forward, furious.

"You!" Blue snapped, gritting his teeth in anger. "You _brought_ that damned thing to us! It almost killed us!" His shield had long been put back on his back, and he instead gripped his sword with both hands, as if waiting for the boy to float closer so he could kill him with one slice.

Once more, the boy hovering above them laughed. "I know!" he said with a mocking grin, and a shrug. "I thought it would, too. But hey, like I said, I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd last ten minutes! Much less actually be able to defeat it." he added with a dry laugh and another shrug. Grinning, he looked back at them, a sneaky glint in his eye, his black bangs casting shadows over his face. "_Great_ job, really. Thanks for the show! I was getting pretty bored."

Now, it was Vio's turn to be mad, and he stepped up next to Blue, angrily snapping, "Is that all it was to you? A _game_?" he demanded coldly, raising a hand idly to point accusingly at the other. "Just who do you think you are?-!" he asked, his voice rising in anger, infuriated at the audacity of the boy.

"Calm down, both of you," Green said with a firm shake of his head. They wouldn't get anywhere getting angry- or worse, angering this strange boy. He obviously had the power to summon that giant demon- who knows what else he could do? He looked back at the boy, and frowned, crossing his arms. "I suppose it's your job to keep prisoners from escaping?" he asked dryly.

The boy in black garb burst out laughing, rocking back and holding his sides. "Oh, that's rich!" he said, grinning and shaking his head. Crossing his arms once more, he smirked, looking back down at Green with a raised eyebrow, still lounging about in the air, "What, you think _I'm_ the stupid warden of this filthy prison? Sorry, but no. That guy was the pile of bones you four kids managed to destroy."

"Then why are you doing this?" Red whined, looking sadly up at the boy above them. Blinking, he suddenly pointed out, "I mean, you even look just like us! You're wearing the same thing, too... Why were you trying to _kill_ us?"

The others hardly noticed this, and each of them all blinked in surprise as they looked back at the boy, then at themselves. What Red said _was_ true... but no, that couldn't really mean anything, could it? He was their enemy! He'd tried to kill them!

Strangely enough, the boy in the air frowned- seemingly also affected by what Red had said. However, this change in his expression only lasted a second, and his sneer returned. Though this time, it was far from amused- and instead, irritated, he snapped at the others, "Oh, don't give me _that_, you pathetic excuse for heroes. You've come far enough, and I've had my fun with you." Before the others could even ask what he meant, the smirk returned to the boy's face, and his mouth opened in a wide, fanged grin.

"... Now just sit tight so I can kill you easily, okay? Great."

He laughed and once more began to raise his hand, a dark orb of shadow magic beginning to swirl around his fingers, forming into a black-and-purple orb of twisting, pulsing clouds and ether...

And as the boys watched, each of their eyes shining in worry, anger, confusion, and resistance, each of them gripping tightly onto their swords, the boy in shadows laughed again, looking down on them. His dark smirk grew, and the massive magic swirling violently around his fingertips jerked around eagerly, awaiting his command.

"You asked me what my 'job' was, right?" he asked with another cold laugh, a mischievous- yet sinister- glint in his eye. His glance then changed from Green, to Vio, and he smirked. "And you," he said, his eyes raising in mild amusement, "Asked me who I thought I was." Without waiting for either of them to respond, he instead grinned and replied to both simply, "Well, seeing as how you're about to _die_, I wouldn't mind telling you." He laughed again, eyeing each of them in turn before answering.

"My name is Shadow," the boy said a wide, sinister grin, as he raised his hand high over his head, the magic swirling hungrily over him, laughing once more- "And my 'job'... is to _destroy_ you."

The faces of the four boys looked up at their enemy in confusion and worry- yet their gazes remained solid and determined, unafraid. It was as if they didn't think he was really going to kill them... or perhaps something else. What was it? And yet, something the boy with the dark magic could not decipher flashed in all of their eyes- was it anger? Worry? ...Pity? He found himself unable to figure it out... but there they stood, still and silent, all four sets of young, blue eyes looking up at him. His eyes narrowed as he felt something well up in his chest and choke at his throat... What was _this_?

They were the _enemy_... they were the _good guys_, and he was the _bad guy_. He had no mercy, and would annihilate these pathetic children before they had a chance to further interfere with the plans. This was his mission, his role. ...So why was his stomach twisting up as the terrible magic of darkness in his hands shone against the four figures below him? What was that he saw in their eyes... and that which tore at the very fiber of his being?

His calm composure broken as his internal thoughts raged, Shadow roared in anger as he flung his arm forward, the terrible, evil shadow magic blasting out in front of him, unleashed from his fingertips and eagerly racing towards its prey.

Watching as the blackness flooded over the four children below him, Shadow's eyes flickered in that instant, something triggering in the back of his mind... in the depths of his chest... And as the darkness overwhelmed the four boys, so he found himself screaming, his hands gripping the sides of his head in pain and rage, as the darkness swirled around in fury and in hate, engulfing him as well and plunging the entire room into silence.

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><p><strong>Gasp! Has Shadow truly done away with Green, Red, Vio and Blue? <strong>

**What's going to happen to them now?**

**These answers- and answers to so much more- in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Nine: _Divulgence_!**

**Also: Hooray for the first week into the fic! :D**


	9. Divulgence

**Nine chapters into the fic, and we're _finally_ getting some answers!**

**So sit back, relax, and prepare for quite a big chapter! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine:<strong> Divulgence

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><p>Through the darkness the four children had found themselves in, their entire world twisted around and in front of them, shrouding their view in shadows and clouding their senses with confusion and fear. The blast of shadow magic flung from the boy who had called himself Shadow had effectively engulfed the four boys on the ground- yet, instead of ridden with pain or sunk into despair, instead the magic swirled around them, blinding them and flipping their senses in all directions.<p>

It took several minutes before the clouds of shadowy darkness began to fade, and the four boys were able to once more regain their senses, slightly stumbling on their feet and their eyes blinking as they tried to adjust to the harsh, suddenly bright sunlight. Red and Green lifted their hands to their foreheads, trying to keep the intense rays away from their eyes, while Blue and Vio instead took a step outwards, their heads turning and their eyes blinking as they tried to come to senses with their new surroundings.

Birds chirped, and a soft breeze blew across the plains, swirling gently around each of the four boys. And on the breeze was carried the faint smell of grass and trees, and flowers in bloom- and finally, as the world began to come into focus and their eyes grew accustomed to the brightness around them, each of them looked around in wonder at just where they were.

The damp, dark prison they had awoken to hours before was long gone- instead, in its place, the four boys now stood in the center of a lush, green forest- the bright rays of sun shining through the holes in the top canopy and lighting up the ground around them. Small birds fluttered from branch to branch above them, and the strong, heavy trees around them blocked their view of further outside the forest. It was clear to all of them where they were- yet each of them wore faces of confusion as they tried to understand the reason behind this new fact.

"Where the hell are we?" Blue was the first to speak, narrowing his eyes, frustrated by not understanding what had happened.

"Obviously, some sort of forest," Vio answered dryly, his eyebrows raised lightly over at the other. His gaze returned to the outside as he took another step forward, looking carefully at the trees and wildlife in hopes of more accurately defining their surroundings. However, he noticed with a frown, he couldn't find any place he remembered similar to the one they were in now.

"How in the world did we get here?" Red whined sadly, also looking at the others in confusion. He knew none of them knew the answer any more than he did, but... He still felt the need to ask, hoping to find some sort of comfort in the others' answers.

Lastly, Green frowned as he remembered what had just happened in the prison chambers. "That kid..." he muttered, crossing his arms, deep in thought. "Who called himself 'Shadow'. He blasted us and then..." His gaze returned to the woods around them.

"Oh, yeah!" Blue shouted, his eyes widening as he remembered. However, his eyes once more resumed their angry glare as he spat, "That prick! What the hell did we ever do to him?-!"

"And yet, curiously enough," Vio spoke calmly, looking back at the others, "He didn't kill us as he said he would. Instead..."

"Here we are," Red finished with a weak smile and a nod. He then grinned and gave a nervous laugh, looking around them. "Er... wherever 'here' is, that is..."

"Hell, wherever 'here' is, I'm glad it's not still that damned dungeon," Blue scoffed, shaking his head. His eyes then lit up, and before the others could say anymore, he gave a lopsided grin and turned to the others, crossing his arms and smiling smugly.

"Speaking of which," he continued with a nod, "Thanks for the help back there, guys. We did good. And now that I'm out of there, I'm going to head on out." He grinned boldly and turned outwards, facing the forest. "And figure out what the hell is going on," he finished, shaking his head. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled as he called out, "So, yeah. Nice meeting all of you, I guess. See ya."

Red's eyes snapped open- as did the others- and, before Blue could take any more than s few steps away, the boy ran up to the other's side, almost clinging to his arm as he protested, "H-Hey! Wait, Blue! Don't leave!" He frowned, looking back towards the others, and back up at Blue. "We should stay together!"

Regaining his senses, Green shook his head and took another step forward. "Red's right," he said firmly, "We still need to stick together and find out what's going on. We've got just as many questions as you do, Blue, and we're not gonna find our answers by splitting up."

Narrowing his eyes, Blue turned around and faced them indignantly, crossing his arms. "And just why do we need to be all in one group for that?" he huffed angrily.

"Have you forgotten already?" Vio answered dryly, raising an eyebrow in surprise at the bull-headed boy. As the silence grew around them, he sighed, reaching behind his back. The sound of silver glistening against metal rang out from behind him, and he held out his sword in front of them, frowning. "Not only do we all like alike, as Red pointed out earlier," he said, shaking his head, "We all even have similar swords. This can't be a coincidence. Like I said- it's highly possible we even knew each other before we lost our memories."

"That doesn't prove much," Blue scoffed, shaking his head. "I picked up mine and Red's swords on the table by my cell. Doesn't mean they were ours originally," he added. He uncrossed his arms, pointing a finger at Vio, "Besides, we don't even know if-"

_"Hoot!"_

The four boys paused, suddenly silent, snapped out of their conversation by a sudden sound. Blinking, the four of them all turned their heads upwards and to the side, where the noise had come from. Sitting on a branch on a tree by the boys, a large, brown and beige owl looked down at all of them through wide, piercing yellow eyes. Its feathers were ruffled lightly, and its massive, hooked talons curved around the branch where it was perched.

Blue snorted. "So it's just some bird," he snapped, ignoring it and looking back at the others. "Ignore it. Now, as I was saying, I don't think-"

"...'Just some bird'? Well, now, that's rather rude!"

Once again, the boy in blue was silenced in an instant, his eyes wide in surprise. But this time, each of the four boys looked back suddenly at the tree branch above them, their eyes wide and unbelieving. Had that owl just...?

The tall owl hooted once more, leaning forward and tilting its head to the side as it looked down at the children.

"I'll have you know, I'm no _ordinary_ owl!" the bird hooted indignantly, its fierce gaze unwavering- though its towering presence more protective than intimidating as it lightly lifted its wings, the feathers blowing gently in the breeze.

The four boys were silent for a few moments as they looked up in shock at the talking owl.

Finally, Green was the one to talk, shaking his head and rubbing his forehead. "Now I've seen everything," he mumbled to himself, looking back up warily at the bird. The others seemed to have gained their senses once more, so, frowning, he continued to speak, this time looking up at the bird. "Um..." He tried to say something, but found himself faltering. Was he really _talking_ to a _bird_?

"Wow!" Red chirped up, grinning widely as he also snapped out of the amazed trance the shock of the talking bird had put them into. He jumped up excitedly, looking up at the bird as he spoke, "A talking owl! I didn't know owls could talk!"

"They can't," Vio stated simply, frowning and crossing his arms. "Or at least, they _shouldn't_," he added, eying the bird curiously. "But then again, he did say he was no ordinary owl...?"

"Hoot! Quite correct, young one," the owl continued, eyeing Vio for a moment before once more leaning over his branch and looking at all four of them in turn. After inspecting each of them, the owl leaned back up, once more ruffling its feathers and shaking its head, hooting as if satisfied at what it saw.

"Yes, yes... You Four do seem to be the ones I'm looking for!" the owl hooted again, though this time his eyes lighting up. Spreading his wings, the owl suddenly and unexpectedly leapt off from his perch on the branches- slightly startling the boys below as they each took an instinctive step backwards- and, just as quickly, landed on another branch slightly closer to the ground.

"It's an honor to finally meet you Four," the owl hooted cheerfully, raising its wings as if to bow. "I am Kaepora Gaebora," he continued, "A messenger sent to guide you heroes down the right path. And I must say, I'm rather surprised at meeting you here, I've been looking for quite some time and really, you couldn't blame me for not looking here, it's only natural that-"

"HOLD it!" Blue roared suddenly, startling all of them and quickly silencing the owl- who had seemed about ready to go on a running tangent. He was near fuming in anger, his fists tightened as he stared up at the owl- the one called Kaepora. "What the _hell_ is going on, anyways?-!" he shouted, furious and at his wit's end. "What are you talking about, "messenger", and "heroes", and "Four" and crap?" he snapped, still angry.

"Now that I think of it," Green said curiously, blinking in sudden realization, "That's what that Shadow kid had called us. "Heroes", that is." He looked back up at the owl, confused yet serious. "Why are you calling us that, too?"

"Um... do you maybe... know who we are?" Red piped up quietly, a bit nervous and confused himself- though not driven to the anger of Blue or the seriousness of Green.

There was a quiet silence between them once more, where the owl on the branch above them seemed to falter, its excitement falling and its gaze looking off to the side.

"Hm... I certainly was not expecting this," Kaepora muttered to himself, looking off to the side in thought. However, looking back at the boys, he fluffed his feathers once more and repeated, this time as serious as the boys below him, "Are you telling me you cannot remember anything? About the Sword? ...About who you are?"

The four boys, saddened by the truth, looked away, unable to answer the question or meet the gaze of the owl. But they did not need to- their silence was enough.

Hooting as he sighed, Kaepora shook his head. "Well, this is certainly a setback," he hooted, looking back at the four, "But we must carry on, either way." His fierce gaze returned to the four children, and even he fell silent for a moment- before speaking quietly as if mumbling in thought, "I wonder..."

Vio's eyes lit up as he looked back up at the owl. "You wonder... what?" he pressed, curious and anxious. Red's questioned seemed to hit the spot- by some strange reason, he knew, this bird knew who they were. It had the information they needed- and he was going to make sure he got it, one way or another.

"Perhaps... perhaps, if anything, it may help," the owl hooted thoughtfully again, though this time openings its wings and jumping once more of its branch, floating idly to the ground. Though the children took another step back, they were no longer startled by the bird's wings as it beat against the air, lowering it gently to the ground. The owl was still tall, however- almost as tall as the children themselves. It tilted its head, its impressive stature leaning forward, as it looked over them once more.

"I think I may know a way to restore your memories," Kaepora hooted, tilting its head back and forth until finally settling on a leveled vision of the boys.

"R-Really?-!" Red shouted out ecstatically, his mouth spreading into a wide grin and his eyes widening. The others had also looked in shock at the bird's words- and as Red spoke again, neither of them argued against his words. "Th-then please, take us!" Red burst out eagerly, nodding, willing to follow the bird.

"...Hoot! Follow me, then," Kaepora replied, raising his wings and lifting his talons, turning around and beating down on the ground with his wings once more. In an instant, the great owl was lifted high into the sky, its wide wingspan casting a visible shadow on the grass below. Without wasting a second to talk to each other, instead ecstatic with the prospect of regaining their lost memories, the four boys instantly ran forwards, following the rapidly moving shadow across the ground. They continued to run through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and rushing through large, hilly patches of grass, barreling through the forest as a team and following the direction of their guide.

Finally, the shadow of the owl grew larger and larger as it began to descend back into the woods. The eyes of the boys widened- they must be getting close. And sure enough, the four boys soon found themselves running up to a seemingly sold wall of trees and bushes- but at the last moment, the great owl turned on its side, flying in between the barricading trees and disappearing on the other side. Crashing through the lone of trees and bushes, the four boys quickly ran after the owl- and as soon as they had broken through the woods, each of them stood still and silent, looking wide-eyed in surprise and shock at what was in front of them.

The four boys stood silently in the center of a large clearing, with the sun shining brilliantly down upon them and alighting the grass beneath them. However, what lay in the center of the clearing drew each of their eyes- a scattered assortment of stone-walls, some half-crumbled to the ground and others covered in ivy, bordered the edge of the clearing, enclosing the precious site within it. Four pillars stood tall on each corner of the ruined walls' border, and in the center, with the stone path beneath them leading up to a small series of stairs, stood a small, pentagon-shaped stone. And though the four boys stood quite a ways away from it, each could see the small slit on its top, and recognize it for what it was: a pedestal.

Lastly, their eyes trailed upwards to the great owl, who had perched himself atop one of the ruined walls, its gaze still locked patiently and wisely upon the four young children. Once more, its head tilted as it hooted quietly, "Do you Four remember this place?"

Though each of them slowly shook their heads, on their faces were looks of quiet astonishment, their eyes lightly narrowed as if trying to concentrate on something. To each of them, it seemed so familiar... yet neither of them could place its name, nor find its location in their memories.

Upon the silence, the owl sighed once more, hooting, "Very well... I will do what I can. Four Sword Heroes," he spoke boldly and firmly, raising his wings and spreading them out wide. "Approach the pedestal!"

The four boys looked at each other in confusion. And yet... though none of them spoke it to the other, each of them felt as if they had to obey the words of the owl. The place felt so familiar to them... and the pedestal itself seemed strange, as well. Without another word, still staring at the block of stone at the center of the clearing, the four boys found themselves slowly approaching it, gathering around it in a small circle, with the pedestal in the center.

Finally, it was Green who narrowed his eyes, staring at the slit in the stone below them. Slowly, his arm reached behind him, and, as he pulled out his sword, so he heard the others doing the same. He held his sword out in front of him, and his eyes glanced to the other three, who also held out their swords. For some reason, though the opening in the pedestal was there, none of the boys felt the need to set the blade inside its slit. Instead...

Without even realizing what they were doing, instead letting something inside of them take over, the four boys slowly looked up, raising their blades high above them and arcing the tips to where the met with the tips of the other three swords. And in almost an instant, after the four swords met together above the four boys...

Light exploded in a cascading waterfall out of the tips of the swords, and the boys watched with wide eyes as the light doused over them, flooding the clearing and wrapping everything in its holy, warm embrace. The light was golden- comforting, and caressing- but even still, slowly, it began to grow brighter and brighter, until it was nearly blinding, and the boys had to shut their eyes against the light.

And yet, when it finally began to fade, each of the boys began to blink their eyes open once more... something in them was beginning to move. Shaking, stirring, and- for the first time- speaking.

_Link... Link, the hero of Hyrule... The wielder of the holy Four Sword..._

_...I am... Link..._

_...**We** are Link._

Their swords had been lowered, and instead, in each of their right hands they looked, raising their eyebrows in surprise, at what was sitting lightly in their grasps.

Green looked, in quiet awe, at the smooth, curved surface of the wood, his fingers gently wrapped around its edge. A golden-silver metal was lightly fitted around the edges and gave the boomerang an added, glistening effect, the rays of the sun bouncing off the snugly-fit metal and shining on the smooth surface of the deep brown wood. He couldn't place it exactly, but this boomerang... it felt so familiar...

The deep, blue eyes of Red shone as he looked over the majestic rod grasped in his small hand, its beautifully smooth surface leading upwards to a shining, red orb sitting at its top. Just the sight of the strange rod stirred something inside him, telling him a story without words he could only barely make out... But through it all, he was smiling, feeling the weapon raise his heart and spirits- even if its name eluded his mind's grasp.

Grinning as he looked over the sturdy surface of the wooden handle and the tough hunk at the end, Blue looked smugly over at what was firmly grasped in his hand. Its handle was thick and short, and the head end of the hammer was large and sturdy. It was slightly unpolished and not as glamorous looking as the others- but he could still feel that it was a powerful, something other than his eyes affirming that he had even used it once before in combat.

Lastly, his eyes examining the long, smooth surface of the arced bow, Vio scanned the weapon in his hands as it curved opposite ways, ending on each side only to connect back to the other with a single, sturdy string. It, too, had golden and silver armaments, and a sturdy cushion through which to hold it. And though he didn't look, he could feel the quiver of arrows hanging over his shoulder at his back- and both the quiver and bow felt right at home in his hands, and he, right at home with these weapons.

The four boys were silent as each examined their weapons, trying to come to terms with their new weapons and with the words that had been spoken into their minds. Finally, their gazes drifted back to one another- and the silence was broken by the voice of another, accompanied by the soft sound of flapping wings.

Landing on the the stone next to them, having flown off his perch by the walls, Kaepora tilted his head as he looked at the four boys. "Hoot... I don't suppose you all remember anything, do you?" he asked quietly, but also curious.

"No," Vio was the first to talk, narrowing his eyes slightly in frustration. However, as the others looked at him, he returned their gaze, nodding solemnly as he added, "But... I did hear... a voice. Almost as if it were my own thoughts, all along..."

"Same here," Green added, and the other two also chimed in with agreement. "It said... 'I am Link'..." He then frowned, shaking his head. "No... it said... "_We_ are Link"..."

"Guys, I... I think that's us," Red spoke quietly, a small smile creeping along his face. Though he was unsure of himself, of these words he was positive of, and gave another, firm nod. His eyes slightly narrowed in concentration and thought, too, as he added, "I don't know, but something about those words... and these weapons..." He looked back at Kaepora. "We're... heroes?"

"Maybe... maybe you were right, Vio," Blue grunted, also frowning, as he lowered his hammer and looked at the others. "Maybe we did know each other, back then..." He couldn't shake the feeling of nostalgia upon holding the hammer, standing in the clearing, and the feeling of the sword in his hand...

Kaepora sighed with another hoot. "Well, perhaps it is for the best," he said, shaking his head once- as best an owl could- and turning around, flying back up to his perch to look down on the heroes.

"Yes... you are the Four Sword heroes," Kaepora spoke to each of them. "You are Link, the chosen hero. The magic of the Four Sword splits you into four upon drawing it from its pedestal. And right now... Hyrule is in _grave_ peril." His fierce gaze drifted outwards, into the forest- and, after a moment of silence, it returned back to the children below. "The kingdom has been taken over, by a dark sorceress named Veran and an evil knight named Onox. Unless they are stopped, their reign will bring all of darkness into the light. They have imprisoned the people and kidnapped their Princess... And you four are the only ones who can save her- save _all_ of Hyrule."

The four children below remained silent for some time as each came to terms with what they had been told. The wise owl was silent, as well- letting them have their thoughts. However, finally, each of them looked up, their faces written in serious determination.

Green gripped tight his sword. "Tell us what we need to do," he said quietly, his eyes narrowed in determination. All of this... was so familiar... But he couldn't ignore what the owl was telling him. If it were true... He could not turn away from it. Was this all really true? About the Four Sword... Hyrule... And them being _heroes_?

Without waiting a beat, the owl responded calmly, "How you are right now, you will not be able to reach the evil sorceress and knight. You have all been cursed- the Four Sword's power, drained." Surprised by the owl's words, the four boys raised their swords and looked at them curiously. Neither of them had noticed anything off or odd about the sword- but as their eyes glanced to the hilt, at the gem, each noticed that the colored jewel, matching the shade of their own tunic, was faded and dull.

"The key to restoring the blade's power," the owl continued wisely, "Lies in four temples hidden across Hyrule. The Four Elements are the only things which will restore the Four Sword's true power." He looked back over at them. "You must find and retrieve these elements- only then will you be able to break the barrier the villains have placed over the castle, and defeat them- before they take over all of Hyrule."

The owl's long explanation sunk into each of the boys as they remained silent, taking in all what had been said. Finally, one of them spoke up.

Glancing once to the others, Vio spoke calmly, "If this is the truth... then we have no other option." He, too, then returned his gaze to the owl. "I will go," he finished simply, giving another nod.

"Me too! Don't forget me!" Red added brightly, quickly after the others, nodding. The whole idea of darkness and evil sorceresses and knights secretly terrified him, but... like the others, he couldn't shake the urge that he _had_ to do what he owl said... That somehow, he was meant to do it all along.

"Well, hey, don't everyone leave without me," Blue snorted with a tough grin, crossing his arms confidently. However, he shot a look at the owl, his face growing serious as he demanded, "I'll do it, too. This all sounds insane, but what's even more insane is that it seems almost familiar. But I wanna know this- will getting those elements restore our memories, too?"

There was another silence.

"I cannot be certain," Kaepora finally replied, quiet and calm. "However, one thing I do know is this- those Four Elements- of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water- must be retrieved and used to empower the Four Sword. Only then will you Four be able to confront the darkness, once and for all."

The four boys- heroes- looked at each other, still soaking up the new information. The silence stretched on between them- but was soon ended by a calm, humorous voice.

"... I told you we knew each other," Vio said quietly with a soft smirk.

The tension was broken, and the four heroes, the four Links, laughed easily at the joke, grinning widely at one other. They were back to being four, twelve-year old children- even though they were heroes, they were also kids. And in the midst of the drama and seriousness of their grave situation... they needed these few seconds of youthful normalcy.

Unfazed by Vio's joke, Blue instead gave a good-natured sneer back at him, "Yeah, yeah, Sir Know-it-All." He then flashed a grin over at the owl. "Tell us, then! Where do we go first?" he asked with a laugh, throwing his hammer up in the air and catching it eagerly.

The owl turned his sights east, ruffling its feathers. "Death Mountain lies in this direction," he hooted, looking back over at the Links. "You all must make haste," Kaepora urged, lifting his wings slightly, "I fear the Fire Temple inside may soon succumb to the volcano's eruptions."

"Then what are waiting for?" Blue continued with an eager grin, putting away his hammer and drawing his sword out in front of him. "To Death Mountain!" he roared in laughter, turning around and instantly charging forward, headlong, back into the forest.

Still laughing, though also trying to call out for the other, the three heroes instead grinned, having no other option, as they ran after the headstrong and over-eager boy. Not bothering to look back, the four heroes, wide grins in their faces, instead charged straight through the brush, their aim steady and true, and their eyes unafraid, looking always forwards and determined to complete their mission.

And as the sight of the Four Sword Heroes finally disappeared through the brush of the trees, the last creature standing in the Four Sword Sanctuary, the wise owl Kaepora Gaebora, slowly lifted his wings. His yellow gaze followed the heroes as they left... and when they were no longer in his sight, he once more cast his shadow over the grounds, lifting off the stone wall and soaring into the sky- the great owl disappearing in the clouds, yet his watchful gaze continuing to watch over the four, young heroes.

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><p><strong>Now that some things have finally been explained to the Links, it's time for them to start on their journey. ^_^<strong>

**And yet, many questions still remain.**

**How were Veran and Onox able to take control of Hyrule Castle?**

**How will the Links be able to regain their memory- if they will at all?**

**And also- who was that strange, mysterious boy called Shadow? How is he important to the story?**

**You'll just have to keep reading to find out! Stick around for tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Ten: _Anguish_!**


	10. Anguish

**I know you all are so excited to see what's in store for the Links at Death Mountain, but...**

**There's _one_ more thing we need to cover before that. ;)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Ten:<strong> Anguish

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><p>Long after the four young heroes had set off from the Four Sword Sanctuary, towards their destination in Death Mountain, a different sort of presence had begun to descend upon the holy place- this one, with a much darker intent than the ones who had come before. And yet, as the shadows shifted around it and gathered along the very edges of the clearing, they had yet to descend down upon it or wreak any sort of havoc upon the peaceful place. Instead, the darkness hung silently over the air, surrounding the forest from outside and above- looking down upon it with a torrent of quiet anger.<p>

In the clouds of darkness, lurking in the shadows, a single pair of calmed, though intense red eyes gazed out through the darkness surrounding it and onto the holy place from which the four boys had only just departed. Shadow's blackened bangs hung over his face as he looked down at the Sanctuary, his eyes slightly narrowed- yet his arms crossed, hovering idly in the air above it. He lounged in the air as he did before- but this time, there was no amusement written on his face- instead, it was cast in shadows, like the rest of him, torn apart in frustration and anger.

There was so much he did not understand... and all of it angered him, frustrated him. His mind replayed the events of only a few minutes past over and over... How he'd summoned the great monster to kill the children, only to save them rather than kill them once they'd defeated his minion. And yet, even past these more simple questions of what had happened, his thoughts ran deeper, to a more troubling issue- one which had been eating away at him for a much longer time. He scowled as his thoughts ran deep across his mind, familiar questions once more taunting him with their obvious, yet so elusive, answers.

Who _was_ he, really? Why was he here, pitted against these four boys who- so infuriatingly- seemed so familiar? Once more his eyes narrowed as he returned his own thoughts, spiteful and angry.

_Your name is Shadow, idiot,_ he sneered at himself, looking away from the Sanctuary and instead casting his gaze back into the darkness.

_... Only if you **believe** them, it is._

Once more his thoughts taunted him, throwing back his answers right in his face, and he grit his teeth in frustration. What other choice did he have then to believe them? What they had told him wasn't quite a stretch, really... and given the obvious facts of what sort of creature he was, the answer seemed to stare him in the face: He was a being of darkness, of shadows and of evil power. Therefore, it stood to reason that he had teamed up with two of the most powerful beings in the Dark Realm- Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, and Onox, the Knight of Darkness- in order to crush the light out of this world. He could believe that. After all, he couldn't deny what he truly saw in himself- in the shadows that followed his being, that sprouted from his fingertips at will and which flew at his very command. Even he, with what little shreds of memories he could hold onto, could see the plain and obvious answer before them: he was an evil being of darkness, bent on taking over the world of light.

So why, then, he asked himself, his fury growing and his hands balling into tight fists, couldn't he just accept these facts? They were simple, laid out before him by his fellow cohorts: Upon their assault of Hyrule Castle, Shadow had been attacked from behind and struck on the head. As a result, when he awoke, he couldn't remember at all where he was- or even who he was, for that matter. Veran and Onox had taken him to their newly-claimed fortress and explained everything to him. After a bit of doubt on his part, Shadow had finally accepted what they told him as the truth.

And, lastly, he had accepted his apparent role in their plot: to get rid of the Four Sword Heroes, who had so defiantly rose up against them and tried to protect the kingdom. He knew only what he had been told of them: that they were once one hero, split into four by a strange sword, and were going to go after the Four Elements in hopes of defeating the dark enemies. Above all, he had to stop them from getting those elements. And yet... He wasn't expecting them to be so... _familiar_. Shadow snarled in fury. His "friends" didn't even have the courtesy of telling them, oh hey, by the way, they look just like you. Surprise!

... Maybe that was it. Shadow frowned and crossed his arms, still hovering in his own shroud of darkness above the Sanctuary. Maybe he couldn't bring himself to kill them just because they looked like him. After all, as far as he knew, he never met them in his life. Why should he have? Like Veran and Onox had told him, he was a creature of the Dark Realm. A shadow. Nothing to the rest of the light world, just a small, insignificant little bug. His fists clenched once more, and the feeling of hate rose up in his stomach.

Well, this 'pathetic little shadow' was about to turn their whole world upside-down, the boy thought with snarling, gritted teeth, as he looked down spitefully at the Four Sword Sanctuary. And maybe... maybe, as Veran and Onox had suggested, if he were to kill them, he would regain his lost memories. His anger calmed, and his eyes closed at this thought. To have his memories back... To not be frustrated at the dark cloud inside his own mind, keeping his own past hidden from him and shrouded in mystery... Yes. Yes, he'd do what he needed to do, to get them back.

_And, damnit,_ he thought to himself with a snarl, his eyes opening wide in determination and fury, _next time, I WON'T back down from killing them! Familiar or not... I'll do what needs to be done._

His mind made up, Shadow uncrossed his arms and once more looked down at the Sanctuary below him. All he knew of it- _like everything else I know,_ he thought spitefully- was what Veran and Onox had told him, that it was a sacred place for the heroes. His eyebrow raised curiously- and, without another word, the boy stood up in the air through which he hovered, jumping downwards and landing nimbly on the grassy floor beneath him.

As he caught his fall with his hand, the Shadow narrowed his eyes, looking at the blades of grass which brushed up against his hands. He wasn't sure why this was bothering him so much, but... in fury, he quickly got up, brushing off his hands on his side and looking away, back towards the Sanctuary. Crossing his arms, the boy walked calmly, aimlessly into the center of the clearing, looking around him in mock interest.

"So, this is the "sacred" place of the hero?" the boy spoke to himself, scoffing and shaking his head. "What a joke." The grass was overgrown, the ivy draped over and covered the stones, and the woods around it generally unkempt. For a place so sacred, he thought with dry amusement, they sure knew how to keep it looking nice. His glance travelled around the ruins in a semi-circle, noticing the four pillars on each corner of the clearing and, most significantly, the small pentagon-shaped block of stone in its center. Nonchalantly, the boy walked up to the pedestal, leaning back and looking at it with raised eyebrows, though a bored expression on his face.

"The hell is so special about a bunch of rocks?" Shadow asked himself once more, raising his eyebrow. If this pathetic little place was the rock of those four heroes, their basis for their entire quest and the stronghold of their hope... then this takeover would be a lot easier than he thought. He contemplated this with an idle shrug, ready to turn around and leave-

And yet, a sudden sound reached his pointed ears- and, in a heartbeat, his eyes wide and his arms uncrossing, the boy whirled around, shouting out in fury, as he lashed out his fists and blasted forth from them a massive, black ball of shadow magic. The swift blast of black power slammed head-long into the side of one of the stone walls bordering the Sanctuary, and as bits of rock rained down from the shattered hole in its side, the sound of frantically flapping wings also joined in, and eventually, the large form of an owl settled back down on the opposite wall, looking curiously at the boy.

So it was just a bird... An owl, as he took a more careful look at it- large, and brown. Any other details, he ignored. Shadow snorted, lowering his smoking hands, the wisps of dark power slowly fading away as he commanded them to back off. Obviously, this simple bird would not be a threat to him. Still, it had practically crept up on him, silent as the wind as it landed on the wall right behind him.

"You shouldn't blame me," the boy spoke with a scoff and a bored smirk, crossing his arms and looking over at the owl. "You were asking for it, creeping up on me like that. Who the hell do you think I am, anyways?" he finished with a sinister smirk, crossing his arms once more. _Dumb bird_, he thought with a sneer, didn't even know just who it was sneaking up on.

The great owl kept its piercing gaze on the boy, and tilted its head curiously. And yet, without another moment's hesitation, it replied simply, "You are Shadow. Am I correct?"

Shadow nearly stumbled backwards in shock, his eyes wide at hearing the bird talk- well, he certainly hadn't expected _that_! What kind of bird could even talk? However, he quickly regained his senses, and instead stood firmly on the ground, scowling darkly over at the owl. "Damn right," he snapped, sneering as he did so. "And I'm the bad guy. Got it?" Shadow laughed as he said this, raising a hand threateningly and once more summoning the dark magic to swirl around his fingertips. He grinned. "So fly away, little birdie, before I blast you into next week and serve you up for tomorrow's lunch. And I promise you," he added, his face growing deadly serious as he snarled, "this time, I_ won't_ miss."

"'Bad guy'?" the owl instead replied in a confused yet calm voice, seemingly unfazed by the child's threat, or the black magic which was slowly forming around Shadow's hands. His head tilted to the other side once more as he leaned forward and hooted, "Now, whatever gave you that idea?"

Although he had tried to keep his stature firm and undaunted, not wanting to be caught off-guard by the talking bird again, Shadow couldn't help but blink in surprise at the owl's words. The clouds of shadows forming around his hands disappeared almost instantly. It took him a moment to find his words, and when he did, he stuttered them out fiercely, gritting his teeth as he snapped, "D-Don't give me that, imbecile! What do I _look_ like to you, huh?" However, seeing the bird once more tilt its head curiously, Shadow quickly caught himself, shaking his head and putting a hand to his forehead as he muttered, "Don't answer that." Looking back up at the owl, he continued sharply, "What do you want want with me, anyways? Why are you here, and not following those pathetic little "heroes"?"

Shuffling lightly on its perch, the giant owl once more lifted its wings- unintimidated, Shadow stood idly on the stone, watching it soar once more into the sky- only to land on the ground in front of him, turning and taking a few steps towards him. Now that it was standing on the ground next to him, the tall bird was nearly eye-level with the boy. Tilting its head once more, in that odd fashion that owls do, the bird leaned forward, its yellow eyes unwavering as it stared nearly straight through the boy's soul.

"... I go where I am needed, young one," the tall, brown and beige owl hooted simply, its voice deep and wise- like that of a sage, or a teacher. If he didn't know any better, its words were almost... _kind_. Perhaps even fatherly. However, the boy quickly ignored this, instead shoving the thought aside in anger.

"Oh yeah? So then why are you here?" Shadow snapped again- though, once more, realizing what the owl's response might be, sighed and put a hand to his face. "Don't answer _that_, either," he grumbled, looking off reluctantly to the side. Frowning, he crossed his arms and looked doubtfully back at the owl, continuing sharply and impatiently, "I don't need a stupid, insignificant little bird telling me how to do my job. Or begging me not to, for that matter- if that's what you're here to do."

The owl, who had remained silent for most of its time standing in front of the boy, spoke up, its tone once more calm and kind, its words patient and simple. "No, you are correct, young shadow- there is no one who needs to tell you what to do," it replied wisely, "I am sure you will find your answers on your own- however, in order to find something... you must first be willing to look."

Shadow's eyes narrowed, frustrated and confused by the owl's strange words. What the hell was he babbling on about?-! First he acted as if he was going to be some wise old guide and tell him what to do, and now he was just saying do whatever he felt like? He snarled. _Crazy old bird,_ he thought, rolling his eyes in exasperation and then settling his fierce, unafraid gaze back on the owl.

"I don't need your words of advice, stupid owl!" Shadow shouted indignantly, infuriated by the mysterious words- and yet, angered by something even more infuriating than just the simple words of advice. Instead, as the owl had been speaking, something inside him had been stirring... once more, that familiar ache was sinking his stomach and tugging at his chest, the same one he'd felt in the prison dungeon before blasting away- and inadvertently teleporting the heroes instead of killing them. The same gut feeling that dug at his subconscious, telling him something was wrong- and something in this bird's word, though he was loathe to think it, was true.

Shaking off the feeling and ignoring it, shoving it further behind him, Shadow instead continued, raising his fists as swirls of shadow magic began to once again form around them, "I'll give you one thing, bird-brain- you're right, I WILL find my own answers. You can bet your ass on that, Feathers. But I'll find them on my own, and _without_ the help of any damned owl!" He took a step forward, his fury rising in him.

The familiar sense of anger was overwhelming him, and yet, the shadow was content to let the fury take over him once more. In his anger, in this rage... Things may not make sense, but he would _make_ them make sense, or destroy them. Succumbing to his own fury, he found solace in his own power and the threats he could hang over others. Though the uneasiness of his own lost memories hung over him constantly, eating away at his thoughts and tugging at his chest, he found he could ignore all of them as he gave into his rage, destroying anything and everything that dared to cross him.

However, opposed to the boy's growing rage and the swirls of malicious shadow energy which was growing at his fingertips, the great owl instead remained calm and still, looking at him with its unchanging, fierce yellow eyes. While the wise, yet light-hearted bird could be quite a chatterbox at times... he was also patient and quiet, a great listener as much as a talker. He remained quiet when he needed to- and when Shadow's rage was finally beginning to quiet down, he calmly raised his wings, flapping them in great beats as he turned and flew back up on his perch on the stone wall beside him.

Shadow's eyes followed the bird's movement as it returned to sitting atop the wall, casting its glance once more down at the boy.

Another silence stretched on between the two, before the owl tilted its head and finally said, "Do you truly believe that? About you being the "bad guy"?." As if bored with the whole idea, perhaps thinking it preposterous, he began to preen his feathers, continuing idly, "Why, from where I'm sitting, you look much like the heroes themselves."

"Then let me help you _change_ your _perspective_," Shadow snarled back quietly- though, in an instant, shouted out as he thrust his arm forward, his hand balled into a tight fist and an instant ball of shadow magic summoned forth from the darkness, blasting away from his hand and aimed straight at the wall where the owl was perched.

Hooting in alarm, the owl was only seconds away from being charred as it raised its wings and beat against the air, rising in the air inches above where the darkness struck the stone wall, once more shattering a piece of the wall and sending small, rubble stones falling off the surface. However, recovering quickly, the owl instead flew over to the other side of the clearing, landing back down on another stone wall.

"_Really_, now, _that_ was uncalled for!" the owl hooted indignantly, ruffling up his feathers as if insulted, as he continued, "Have you truly _no_ idea of what you-"

The bird wasn't able to continue the sentence, instead hooting in surprise once more as another blast of shadow magic followed after him, slamming into the stone wall. This time, however, the aim was much closer- and the owl hooted out again as part of its tail feathers were lightly singed by the closely-hit ball of shadow magic. Finally, getting out of the way of the attacks, the great owl rose higher in the sky, flying in light circles around and above the boy.

"Alright, alright! ...Very well," the owl called down calmly from the boy, as Shadow fumed, looking up angrily around him with his fists still surrounded by the pulsing, furious shadow magic. The owl's shadow continued to be cast across the boy as it called out to the child, one final time, before it rose upwards into the sky and disappeared into the white clouds above. "I shall leave you to your thoughts. But remember, young one.. your thoughts- and your decisions, are your _own_."

As the words of the wise owl echoed faintly across the woods, the dark magic around the boys' wrists began to calm, slowly subsiding until it had faded. Standing silently in the center of the Sanctuary, Shadow now found himself once again alone- with no one else but his magic... and his thoughts.

Suddenly, flying into a rage, Shadow roared in fury and pain as he swung his arm to the side, a sudden and bright blast of terrible, powerful magic blasting from his fingertips and spiraling, nearly out-of-control, into the closest target it could find. A stray, wayward pillar, standing freely around the clearing, was instantly shattered, blasted into trillions of pieces as the infuriated blast of magic flew right through it and engulfed it in its fury. The horrible sound of the pillar meeting its demise and crashing to the ground in great, stone shards ricochetted off the surrounding ruins, echoing throughout the woods around it. And as the loud noise finally died down, all that could be heard was that of the shadow's heavy breathing as he stood, his arms tense and his fists clenching tighter and tighter together, silently amongst the peaceful Sanctuary.

His eyes were pressed shut, and his teeth ground together in fury- the anger had overwhelmed him, and as the kind words of the owl continued to mock him, even his thoughts could not leave him in peace, as they fought with the strange feelings of doubt and uncertainty, leaving an internal, fierce battleground raging within the young boy. Thoughts conflicted with emotions, leaving the shadow at a loss for what he should do.

However, the minutes passed as he stood there in silence, and finally, those raging thoughts and feelings began to slow down, quieting and fading away- and though they refused to die, still bubbling under the surface, Shadow sighed as he finally felt himself regain his senses, free of the war going on inside of him. The boy shook his head to clear his thoughts once more, his arms crossing frustratingly on his chest and his eyes opening once again.

Taking a deep breath, Shadow snarled in fury, his mind once more racing. What the hell was he doing, just standing there? His determination, his drive to go on, raged on his mind, and he narrowed his eyes. For all the bird's stalling, and the time wasted as he tried to keep from going insane, those meddling four kids were probably half-way through the mountain, closer to the Fire Element than he was.

... And yet, as his thoughts drifted back towards the heroes, so also sparked the single memory of what Veran and Onox had told him- defeat them... and regain his memories. So much of his confusion, his hurt, was being caused by the blackness in his mind, the curtain to his past which refused to open. If only he could regain those thoughts, he would no longer have to struggle with the painful war going on inside of him...

Shadow's eyes flashed in determination. ...Nothing had changed. As far as he was concerned... Whatever the stupid owl had wanted to say, or tried to- none of it mattered anymore. Only one thing mattered, now: getting rid of those heroes, and regaining his memories. That was all he needed to do. And so long as he set his mind on this one, simple goal...

The darkness, summoned by their master, slowly began to build around the young child of darkness, swirling around him and building upon itself. Slowly, the corners of Shadow's mouth began to tug upwards, in a sly, yet dark, smirk. He laughed quietly to himself as he took a step back, letting the darkness of his powers surround him, letting himself be plunged once more into the blackness. Yes... only one thing mattered now, he thought with a sneer, the darkness finally overwhelming him and blinding him in his own rage...

And as the darkness grew, throbbing and pulsing around the boy upon his command, the Sanctuary itself was darkened by the harsh powers... Until, only a few moments later, the haze was gone, and the light returned to the sacred clearing.

The darkness which had before threatened to engulf the entire forest was gone- and once more, the Four Sword Sanctuary stood alone in the forest, not a single soul in sight.

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><p><strong>After some insight into the thoughts and pain of the young Shadow... it's finally time.<strong>

**Get ready for the Links' adventures in Death Mountain in tomorrow's chapter: Chapter Eleven: _Thrill_!**


	11. Thrill

**The adventure begins! To Death Mountain!**

**AWAAAYYYY! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven:<strong> Thrill

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><p>"So, let me get this straight- we're all supposed to be one person, split into four by this magical sword or whatever, and after these two jerks from some weird darkness place took over the kingdom, they tricked us into pulling the blade, cursed us into losing our memories, then drained the power of the sword and now we're on some quest to save the kingdom and gather four enchanted rocks scattered across the whole land before those creeps turn everything into darkness?"<p>

Blue raised an eyebrow doubtfully as he lifted his sword, studying it briefly before looking at the others around him. He was frowning in light confusion and frustration as he repeated his own words over again in his head.

Sighing, Vio shook his head and looked away from him. "In a nutshell, yes," he replied bluntly, crossing his arms. "At least, that's the way it looks like. Now will you stop asking the same thing over and over?" he snapped, frowning in irritation as he looked back towards the others. "It's starting to get annoying."

"Wow, this is pretty weird, huh, guys?" Red asked with a silly grin, running up as he caught back up with the others, who were walking at a swift pace through the thinning woods. "Who'd have thought we were some legendary hero, huh?" he added, looking down on the ground, playfully jumping on random twigs and leafs that had fallen across the ground, then scattered by the wind.

The terrain had slowly been changing from that of a lush, green forest to that of a dry, sparsely-wooded grove- with soot lying just beneath each fallen leaf or twig. The four heroes, setting off on their quest, continued onwards as they grew closer to Death Mountain with each step.

And slowly, with each step closer towards their destination, the four boys were starting to get on each other's nerves.

Fuming at Vio and his cold wit, Blue snorted and looked angrily over at the other boy, replying hastily, "You don't need to be such a smart-ass about it. I mean, even you can't say you saw this coming, or expected something like this to happen."

"Of course not," Vio replied haughtily, crossing his arms once more and looking with quiet concentration up ahead as Red continued to play in the fallen leafs around them. "I'm merely accepting the situation for what it is and moving on." He looked back over his shoulder, eyeing the over-eager boy with irritation, as if he were a bug he wanted to swat away. "Why can't you do the same?"

"Hey! _Enough_, already!" Green shouted, finally butting in between the two as each turned towards the other, their faces hardened in anger. Green's eyes were also narrowed in frustration, and he snapped impatiently, "Alright, we get it, you two got off on the wrong start and don't like each other. Well, _save_ it. We've got a job to do, alright?" Muttering under his breath and shaking his head once more, Green sighed as he turned away from the two, without bothering to wait and hear their responses, and continued walking forwards.

Frowning as he looked back at the others quarreling, Red sighed and shook his head, pleading with the others, "Come on, guys... can't we just get along? We kinda got a long road ahead of us, y'know..." His eyes trailed after Green as he continued walking ahead, then back to Blue and Vio, as, each huffing in anger, they both turned away from each other and continued on their walk.

Once more, Red sighed in dejection as he watched the others pass him and keep walking. Why were the others always ignoring him? He might be smaller than them, but... Sure, he was pretty confused with the whole situation, too, but... And he knew what Green said was true, Vio and Blue had gotten off to a pretty rough start. It didn't much help that they were all so different... If the Four Sword had split them into four people, why had it made all their personalities different? Shouldn't they all still be the same person?

Realizing he had fallen behind the others in his thoughts, Red frowned once more as he sighed, picking up the pace and running back up to them. He supposed there'd be time to sort things out and think more about the whole situation later- but right now, they were on a mission. As he ran, he gave a weak smile, attempting to cheer himself up. And how were they gonna get through it all, moping and fighting? Right... he'd do his best, he told himself, to make everyone stay happy and together. He wasn't sure why, but... something inside him was telling him, that this was what he needed to do.

And yet, as he finally caught up with the others, he looked at each of them strangely, as they had all stopped, fallen silent, and were looking high above them with their eyes wide and jaws agape. Frowning in confusion, Red followed their gazes- and his eyes also widened, his jaw dropping open, at what stood before them.

Towering high into the sky, with its top shrouded in smoky-black clouds and with blazing, red lava flowing out of numerous openings along its top and side, stood the intimidating and dangerous sight that was Death Mountain. The deep, rumbling sound of occasional eruptions shook the ground, and the blazing waves of heat swept across the four boys as the lava continued to seep out of cracks along the mountainside.

Surrounding the boys was a large, flat plane of molten rock, leading to a thin path which stretched across a small river of the boiling lava, ending at the entrance to the mountain itself. The cave's entrance yawned open like a great mouth, sucking the darkness inside of it and sending shivers down the heroes' spine as each knew what had to be done: they would have to enter the foreboding, molten landscape of the volcano.

"So... That bird said the element was in the Fire Temple, right?" Green was the first to speak, gathering up his courage and swallowing the lump in his throat as he took a tentative step forward, looking around them once again. "And the Fire Temple..."

"Would most likely be in the depths of the mountain itself," Vio finished simply, shaking his head and sighing. "Wonderful. If we don't get to it before the volcano erupts, we'll all burn."

Blue snorted, raising an eyebrow over at Vio. "Wow. _Great_ pep talk, Mr. Enthusiastic," he retorted dryly, pushing past him and storming onwards. Sighing, Green ran up to him, catching up and joining him as the two began to walk towards the cave entrance, seemingly unfazed by the narrow bridge over which they had to cross.

"You... you really think we'll _burn_ in there?" Red whined, looking up at the intimidating mountain once more, then back to Vio.

The nonchalant Link shrugged idly. "Only one way to found out," he answered with a cold smirk, uncrossing his arms and walking past the last Link, joining the others at the mouth of the cave.

Not wanting to be left behind again, gulping past his fears, Red followed close by to Vio, keeping close to the other and looking down in fear as the duo crossed over the narrow rock bridge, the heat from the lava below bubbling up threateningly at them. Yelping quietly in fear, Red forced himself to look up, instead hurrying the rest of the distance to the mouth of the cave, where Blue and Green stood, waiting for the other two to catch up.

"Well, now what?" Blue snorted as the rejoined four looked into the darkness of the cave.

"What else?" Green asked, sighing and shaking his head. "We go in. Hopefully, find a path that leads to the temple."

"Don't you think we should plan our route out, first? Before going inside and risking being burned alive?" Vio retorted coldly.

"Oh, _sure_! Yeah, that'd be just _great_. Got a _map_, genius?" Blue sneered mockingly in response.

As the three continued to bicker and argue, debating what would be the best action plan for entering the mountain and finding the temple, Red's worried eyes began to drift to the side... and, lighting up, those eyes no longer looked worried as they instead caught sight of something interesting, just inside the mouth of the cave. With a grin, the boy ran over to it, placing his hands on its surface and giggling quietly to himself.

"Hey! Hey guys, over here!" Red chirped, looking over his shoulder, and then back at what was in front of him. He kept his gaze on what he'd found, even as the others walked up beside him, looking over Red's shoulder at the strange, metallic object Red had found.

"What is _that_?" Blue grunted annoyingly, raising an eyebrow.

"Interesting," Vio mused, putting a hand to his chin as Red eagerly ran around it- and, before long, hopped inside. Even the calm Link couldn't help but have a smile tug at his lips as, grinning, Red looked back at them from inside the object. "It's a mine cart," Vio said, pointing downwards at the metal rails the cart sat on, leading inside the mountain. "Quite possibly once used for excavation of the mountain."

"Huh. Well, what are you planning on doing with it, Red?" Green asked curiously, walking next to the cart and looking inside of it, briefly studying it. It was decent-sized- perhaps enough to fit all four of them in it, and, though it looked old and rusted, still sat firmly on the double metal rails that formed a track.

"Isn't it obvious?" Red asked with a laugh, nearly hopping up and down in his eagerness. "We'll ride this down and into the temple!"

There was a silence between the four heroes as the other three looked at one another in brief surprise, then back to the rusted mine-cart, and then finally, at the young boy who sat grinning inside the mine-cart.

"Um... I dunno, Red... We don't really know what's in the mountain, or where this even goes. Let's find another way."

"It's not that sound of a plan, really. I mean, think about it, realistically- How are you even sure it leads to the temple?"

"Are you _insane_?-! That thing looks at least a hundred years old! No way am I getting in that rusted tin-bucket!"

As the other three Links continued to talk in their doubt and uncertainty, each in their own ways disagreeing to such a crazy notion, Red's glistening eyes had instead noticed something off to the side- and he grinned.

"Oh, alright," Red finally said, shaking his head- but still, he grinned. Standing up, he brushed off his tunic and smiled back at the others, shrugging, "It was just an idea anyways. But really, I-" Suddenly, he paused, his jaw dropping, as he looked past the Links and threw up his hand.

"Ah! Guys! Look!" he cried suddenly, urgently, pointing to behind them. Instantly, drawn by the other's voice, the other three Links whirled around, Blue drawing his sword and the other two their shields, as they looked frantically around for what Red had pointed out-

And yet, with a mischievous grin, Red leaned forward, leaning out of the mine cart as his hand closed around a small lever off to the side.

"Red, I don't see any-"

Without another word, Red jerked back on the lever.

The mine-cart suddenly heaved backwards, throwing a laughing Red backwards in the cart, at the command of the lever- and as it tipped backwards, the other three Links suddenly cried out in surprise as they were all shoved by the side of the cart- but, instead of being pushed backwards, the side of the mine-cart instead made each of the heroes tip backwards...

And, as the lever snapped back, so the mine-cart also lurched forwards, and, with another loud shout from each of them, the three Links found themselves tumbling backwards into the cart, falling into a heap and shouting out as the mine-cart began to roll forward...

Hardly able to contain his laughter, Red's head popped out of the moving mine-cart as he grinned, looking at the others. And as the others also sat back up, shooting daggers and glares of death his way, none could really say anything else, as their attention was soon drawn elsewhere...

Slowly, each of the four Links looked in the direction of the moving cart as it travelled with jerking motions along the rickety tracks... deeper into the tunnel... and as the darkness finally swallowed them, a new sort of light opened up- the red light beaming at them from the depths of the lava beneath them- and all four Links looked with wide eyes at what they saw. But before any of them had a chance to say anything, they all instead opened their mouths- and screamed.

And the mine-cart plunged down.

The wind blew fiercely past the Links as each of them, screaming, held on for dear life to the edge of the cart, which was barreling down the track as it plummeted downwards, the cart following the tracks of the metal rails which led down, down, deep into the mountain and spiraling downwards, sideways, and nearly out-of-control.

Each of the Links looked out, their eyes wide and their mouths wide open as they screamed, unable to do anything else as they went along for the crazy ride that Red had forced them into, and continued to grip onto the sides of the mine-cart as it continued to race through the inside of the mountain, racing over pools of bubbling lava, around towering pillars of rock, and in and out of intricate tunnels that were lacing in and around the inside of the mountain.

"RED! WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?-!" Blue bellowed as he held onto the side of the mine-cart, his eyes wide in terror as the mine-cart began to briefly slow down, arcing over a large bridge which towered over the lava below.

Red, for his part, hadn't been able to stop laughing since the mine-cart had first plunged downwards, enjoying every second of the ride as he screamed in joy and laughed in excitement- even though the others looked just as terrified as Blue was. The cart was indeed slowing down from its initial plunge, but Red was still grinning as he looked ahead, seeing the track stretch on for even longer. Leaning forward out of the cart, the boy quickly looked from side to side as he tried to assess the rest of their ride, before the mine-cart reached the next hill and would once again fall downwards, racing through the mountain.

No longer a single track, the rails ahead instead split into various different tracks- and each one had a switch along the path some time before the split occurred. Red grinned, turning back to the others, and chirping up, "Guys, be sure and hit the switches, okay? Also, watch out for the bats on the way down!"

The three boys looked at Red with wide eyes.

"..._Switches_?-!"

"..._Bats_?-!"

"_WHATTHEHELLISGOINGONHERE?-!-?_"

Grinning, still ignoring the rage and confusion of the others, Red instead laughed as he faced forward once more, taking out his sword and eagerly leaning forward out of the cart. "Get readyyyyyy!" he cried out, as the cart neared the edge of the hill once again. And as all four Links looked forward, their eyes wide, each of them began to scream once more as the mine-cart tilted forward, and once more plunged downwards, bouncing and racing swiftly over the rails and down the roller-coaster-like tracks.

"GREEN! Heads up!" Red called with a grin as he laughed and screamed along with the others.

Green, for his part, stopped screaming long enough to look where Red was talking about- on his side of the cart, they were rapidly approaching a switch on the side. Gritting his teeth, and still latching onto the side of the mine-cart for support, Green whipped out his sword and swung it out of the cart- catching with his blade the side of the latch just in time as the cart passed it. The switch clanked to the side instantly, and the tracks ahead of them shifted- jerking the Links all to the side as the mine-cart instantly changed directions, taking on a new track.

"Blue! Above us!" Red shouted, his eyes wide in excitement, as the cart continued to barrel on through the mountainside, racing over the raging lava below and weaving in and out of the stone tunnels of the mountain.

Looking up, Blue's eyes widened, then narrowed, as he spotted a bunch of bats- somehow, engulfed in flames themselves- rapidly approaching him. Gritting his teeth- though not loosening one hand's grip on the side of the cart a bit- Blue reached behind him and shouted angrily as he swung his sword above them, dispatching several of the screeching bats in one slice. The rest of the bats, seeing the threat, backed off of the cart and its inhabitants as it continued to race through the caverns of Death Mountain.

"Vio! You're up next!" Red shouted with another laugh, still leaning forward as the director of the crazy ride, spotting the next lever up ahead, and how it was situated on the other side of the cart- right where Vio was sitting. Or rather- holding on for dear life.

Gritting his teeth past the golden bangs which were flying around in his face, ruffled by the wind which blew past them at an incredible speed, Vio gripped the hilt of his blade tight as he leaned over, carefully studying the approaching lever. Ready... and... in perfect timing, with a calculated lunge, the hero swung out with his blade, slicing at the handle of the switch and forcing it on its other side. The latch, slammed against the blade, quickly complied and clicked as it swung forward- and yet, quickly following the sound was another sound- though one nearly not so pleasant.

Instead, all four sets of eyes looked forward, wide and worried, at the track above them.

The rails, trying to heed the order of the switch, had indeed moved- but, rusted and old, had been caught on something, and only switched half-way. The track they were on now did not lead to one side or the other- but was firmly caught straight in the middle. With eyes wide, each of the Links knew, with the mine-cart continuing on at full speed ahead, just what this meant.

"The rail ahead is lodged!"

"...We're gonna crash!"

"WHAT THE-?-! ARGH DAMN YOU RED WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING ARE YOU INSANE YOU'RE SO DEAD WHEN I GET OUTTA THIS I'M GONNA-"

"Everyone _hooollldd ooonnnn_!" Red shouted loudly, still wearing his wide grin, as he leaned forward. His eyes, unlike the wide and frightened gazes of the others, were instead glistening with excitement and anticipation. He knew just what he had to do- after all, he was the one in front, wasn't he? He gripped the front of the mine-cart tightly, leaning over and grinning.

Quickly, he looked over his shoulder at the others. "When I say "three", everyone _jump_, okay?-!" Red shouted loudly, still grinning. The others, dumbstruck, looked back at him with wide eyes. But before they could protest, still laughing, Red whirled back around, leaning forward as his eyes set on their dead-end ahead of them.

"One!"

The other three Links looked at one another in shock.

"..._Two_!"

Gritting their teeth and gripping the mine-cart once more, Green, Vio, and Blue closed their eyes tight, their breath catching up in their chest.

And finally, his eyes lighting up, Red grinned.

"_THREE_!"

In the instant Red had shouted, the mine-cart slammed against the malfunctioned rails, stopping it in its tracks and sending the cart lurching forward. On their friend's command, the four Links had leapt out of the cart- arms flailing and mouths wide open, screaming- as the cart itself tumbled off the tracks, spiraling out of control until it landed in the lava below- sizzling as it slowly burned and sunk into the inferno.

Flying through the air, the Links continued screaming, each feeling the heat of the lava below roar up at them- but, with the breath stolen from their chests, all their screaming all at once stopped as their bodies struck the hard ground, sliding against the rock and dirt as they each rolled a few times on the ground, until their momentum was finally slowed and they came to a stop.

Almost expertly, Red had timed the jump, and their landing, with perfect ease. As the mine-cart had lurched forward upon being struck, the boys had leapt forward- and, though their landing was rough, landed all the same on a small rock outcropping on the side of the mountain. Groaning, each of them struggled to get to their feet, trying to gather their senses back.

Lifting his head from where it had landed on the dirt, Red shook his head a few times, brushing the stray dirt off his face and blinking a few times. He instantly beamed, pushing himself to his feet, almost jumping up and turning around to face the others with a wide grin.

"... It worked!" he cheered, ecstatic and jumpy. Bouncing excitedly, he laughed as he shouted out, "That was AWESOME! Let's do that _again_!"

"_NO_!"

The loud shout came from all three of the Links as they, too, struggled to their feet, regaining their balance and looking over at Red as if he'd gone stark mad. Blue looked furious- Green shaken, and Vio, visibly upset. Red, slightly humbled, grinned weakly and quieted up.

Finally, it was Vio who spoke, breaking the silence.

"...Well. I suppose, if anything, that was effective," he grumbled reluctantly. And before Blue could protest, Vio simply looked up and pointed- and the others, following their gaze, let their jaws drop at what they saw.

On the side of the wall where the outcropping jutted out from, stood a large, majestic-looking arch. It was carved of stone and had intricately-engraved symbols around it. But most importantly was the purpose of the arch itself- for, in between its giant pillars, led into another passageway, deeper into the mountain. The Links once more looked up, at the primary symbol carved in to the center of the arc. Emblazoned on the rocky surface were three lines, waving up and around each other to meet to a single point at the end. It was unfamiliar to them, but all the same, it was the simple, yet unmistakable symbol of fire.

"... The Fire Temple," Green said finally, shaking his head incredulously, having finally recovered from the shock of their ride. He looked over to Red and gave a wry grin, "Fine, I'll give you that- you got us here." He sighed and shook his head again, dusting the dirt off his tunic, only to say with a firm, yet weakly laughing voice, "But I _swear_, I am NEVER doing that again!"

"And as for YOU!" Blue shouted, still fuming, as he walked up to Red, towering angrily over the boy with an infuriated look on his face. The silence stretched on, unexpectedly, as the furious Blue looked down at Red, who was still grinning weakly, yet cowering under the other's gaze. However, as the seconds stretched by, Blue finally sighed, clenching his eyes shut and rubbing the sides of his temples. Grumbling something about insanity, unable to bring himself to yell at the other, Blue sighed again and walked off to the side, up to where the arch led into the temple. As he reached it, the boy looked over his shoulder and huffed at the others, "Well? Hurry up! Let's _go_, already!"

Beaming, Red looked nervously back at the others. Though sighing, the other two shook their heads, trying to hide a smile as they followed the impatient Blue through the archway. Finally, realizing none of them were truly mad at him, Red grinned and followed behind them, no longer afraid of the darkness which stretched on in the temple's passageway ahead of them.

And though the four continued to walk into the darkness, the mood was anything but sullen- as, despite the silence which stretched on before them, it was soon broken by a cheerful, yet quiet voice.

"...Well, _I_ still think it was fun."

"..._Shut it_, Red."

* * *

><p><strong>After a fun, classic-Zelda mine cart ride through the depths of Death Mountain, the Links have finally arrived at the heart of the volcano, the Fire Temple.<strong>

**What trials await our heroes in the temple? **

**Find out in tomorrow's dramatic chapter, Chapter Twelve: _Dissension_!**


	12. Dissension

**The Links have found the entrance to the Fire Temple, and so begins their search for the Fire Element.**

**But what awaits them in the depths of the fiery... _active _volcano?**

**You'll just have to keep reading to find out! ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve:<strong> Dissension

* * *

><p>The smoldering heat of the lava which poured in and all around the four boys in the depths of the temple continued to eat away at all four of them as they continued their trek through the dangerous depths of the deepest caverns of Death Mountain. The rock beneath their boots was rough and hard, and it was all they could do to keep from losing their grip on the ground and tumbling off to the side, where pools of bubbling magma awaited them at the bottom. Trapped in the sweltering inferno of the mountain, the heat continued to build around them, putting all of them on edge and slowly but surely wearing them down.<p>

"Damnit, I'm _telling_ you, we've already _taken_ this path!" Blue shouted in fury, sweating and panting from the walk and the heat which ate at them from every angle, having no mercy on the four children. Finally having come to a stop, the four Links found themselves looking at another split in the road- one path leading into a dark tunnel, the other, downwards deeper into the caverns. Lines of magma were scored across each rock around them and glowed in intense temperature.

"We're going in circles," Green admitted with a sigh, shaking his head as he lifted a hand, wiping away a thin layer of perspiration which had been forming across his forehead. They were all beat and tired- even though they had only been walking deeper through the temple (which, each of them noticed with irritation, was hardly any different than the rough, natural state of the volcano's inside), with every step the waves of heat barreled over them, from over and above them, and cooking them from below.

"But this doesn't make any sense," Vio hissed through gritted teeth, taking a step forward and blinking past the beads of sweat which were also beginning to drip down his forehead. Like the others, his bangs were also slightly damp in his own sweat, and he furiously studied both entrances. Pointing at the one leading to the cave, he said sharply, "We tried that tunnel before, and it led us straight back to the beginning." He then pointed at the other and cursed, lowering his hand as he grumbled, "And this path leads to a dead end. Remember?"

"Maybe there's another tunnel we missed somewhere behind us?" Red offered with a sullen whine, taking his hat off his hair to briefly wipe away the sweat beading above his eyes.

"Impossible," Vio snapped irritably, looking back and crossing his arms nonchalantly, "I would have noticed it."

"Then what do you suggest?" sneered Blue in response, rounding furiously on the other Link. He was exhausted, and all his energy had been wasted as he had tried to patiently follow the others through the temple. But now, he'd had enough. "You're the smart one, know-it-all, so why don't you lead us through?" he mocked.

"Hey, there's no call for words like that," Green shouted, coming to Vio's defense and standing by his side as he continued, "We're all trying our best! Leave Vio alone."

However, turning towards the Link who had stuck up for him, Vio crossed his arms and huffed, "I don't need your 'backup', Green. I'm not afraid of Blue." Feeling his own sense of worth diminished by Green's well-intended support, he darted his eyes angrily over to Blue, snapping, "I'm doing what I can, here. What do you expect? This whole damn temple is a labyrinth!"

"What the hell?-!" Blue shouted, surprised and infuriated, balling his hands into fists. "Jeez, even Green's trying to be nice to you and you shove him away," he snarled, advancing upon the other, raising a finger which he jabbed in Vio's chest. "Stop making excuses! You act like you're so high-and-mighty and important, now face the music!"

"How dare you!" Enraged, Vio quickly shoved Blue's accusatory finger aside. His own hands also curled into fists as he leaned forward, shouting, "I'm doing the best I can!"

"Obviously, it's not good enough!" Blue roared back, also infuriated by being shoved aside. He brought his hands up, and the two boys took another step closer, hands balled up into fists and ready to fight.

Gritting his teeth past his anger, Green shook his head. "This isn't getting us anywhere!" he shouted, trying to keep the peace, yet losing his own temper as well. Who was Vio to get angry at him for trying to help? And what right did Blue have to be angry at Vio? As far as he was concerned, they were both being immature, and he was getting sick of it.

"Why, you-!"

"_Come_ on!"

And as the two grew closer to one another and closer to a fight, their eyes burning in fury, Green's eyes narrowed as he approached the two once more, firmly breaking up their fight by standing in between them and forcing his arms out, forcefully separating the both of them. "Hey! Stop acting like children! If anyone has anything actually helpful to say, say it. Otherwise," he snarled, glaring at one and then the other, "shut up."

There was a tense silence between the Links as Vio and Blue continued to glare daggers at one another, their arms still poised for a fight, with Green firmly looking from one of them to the other as he stood in between them, keeping them from all but tearing each other apart. Finally, the silence was broken by a timid, quiet voice.

"Um... this path doesn't work, so..." Red sighed as he tried his best to speak up, wringing the hat in his hands anxiously. The other three turned to look at him, and he continued, offering a small smile, "Let's just try walking back and double-checking to see if there's anything we missed. Okay?"

Another tense pause stretched on between the four heroes, but finally, sighing and breaking up from their fight, the others separated and turned towards Red, their arms crossed in reluctance but offering a simple nod.

"Great!" Red said, instantly cheering up. With a grin, he shoved his hat back on his head. If he could just keep them from fighting, hopefully they'd make it out of there. He gave a smile and a nod, saying as he turned around to start walking back, "Come on, let's go back and try again. I'm sure we'll find the right path, this time!"

Smiling to himself, Red continued walking back up the path they'd came. Though thoughts of doubt were eating at his mind, and the heat continued to blow at him in its harsh waves from all around him, wearing away at his energy and drive... He had to keep going. And above all, he had to keep the others together. Why was this so important...? He frowned as he continued to think about that, the question which he'd wondered at the start of the mountain. Something in him told him, that it was his duty- his responsibility, even- to keep them together as a team, to keep their spirits up and encourage them on, when the times were tough.

And that's just what he'd do! With a brightened smile, Red nodded firmly to himself to ascertain this fact.

"Alright, guys, we-" Red started to say, turning around with a grin to look at the others behind him- and yet, he instantly stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide.

No one was behind him.

"G...Guys?-!" Shouting in worry, instantly turning around to run, Red found himself sprinting back down the trail, the drops of sweat racing across his face as the wind blew over him, hoping the others were not far behind.

And yet, when he came into the earlier room with the split choices, he froze in his steps, and his heart sank at what he saw.

In the center of the narrow, precarious path, tossing and rolling around and throwing punches every which way, the three Links were engaged in a fight against one another, shouting and cursing as they fought. Blue's face was red and he swore loudly in anger as he threw punches Vio's way, while the other boy, equally infuriated, dodged the other's careless attacks and swung back with fists of his own, also shouting out biting insults. And in the center, bellowing angrily at them both, was Green, desperately trying to keep them separate- but getting hit himself, and, once or twice, punching back in frustration.

What... what had happened? Somehow, after Red had left, something must have been said... by who, or what exactly was said, it obviously no longer mattered at this point... and, without his calming words of reassurance and encouragement, the three had flown into a fight. Red's sunken heart tugged and ate at him as he looked on in horror, that familiar question eating him away- _why_? Why were they all split so differently? If only they were the same, none of this would happen...

Shaking his head as he snapped to his senses, Red cried out in protest as he ran forward onto the narrow bridge on which the three were fighting.

"H-Hey! Guys! Stop, please!" Red pleaded as he grabbed someone's arm, trying to pull them off of each other, but also dodging their stray punches and hits. His grip slipped, and, crying out, he found himself falling back. With a grunt, he fell backwards on the ground, catching himself with his hands, yet groaning as he pushed himself back to his feet. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the boy gritted his teeth in determination.

_They never listen to me_, Red thought, anger rising in him as he looked up at the still-fighting boys. _No matter what I say! Well, dangit, they're GOING to, this time! No matter what I gotta do!_ Angrily, Red rolled up his sleeves as he once more jumped into the fray, shouting as he tried to pull apart the three fighting boys-

And all at once, the wind was knocked out of him, and he gasped, eyes wide, as he was slugged in the stomach, forcing himself to fall back once again- though this time, too surprised and pain-ridden from the punch to catch himself as he fell. Instead, he cried out as he hit the ground, grunting as he shook his head, teeth gritted and eyes clenched against the pain. His arm was wrapped tightly around his stomach, and he was nearly doubled over in agony.

The fight had suddenly turned stopped and turned silent as all three sets of wide eyes looked over at Red, then back at each other, each wondering, with a wave of shock and guilt stunning them speechless, just which one of them had accidentally hit their small friend.

And yet... There was hardly a second longer for the three to ponder this, or for Red to recover from the breath shoved out of his chest... For in that split-second after Red had fallen, a sickening sound had rattled throughout the caves, rumbling the very ground beneath them. The sound was continuing... a terrible, cracking sound beneath their feet. Looking down in creeping horror, the boys could only watch as a large gash in the rock beneath them began to grow and spread, slicing away and creating a horrible sound as it spread further and further across the narrow rock bridge they stood on...

Eyes wide, the four heroes looked at one another in shock and silence.

And as the bridge beneath them finally shattered, all four of them found themselves screaming as they plunged down, falling through the hole they'd created in the bridge, spiraling downwards, down towards the terrible lava below...

However, once again the familiar, dreaded yet also welcoming feeling of harsh ground met each of the heroes as the four slammed against the ground beneath them, groaning in pain as they rolled over on their side, clutching their arms or sides as the pain from the fall shot through their bodies.

Blinking past the pain, it was Blue who finally first opened his eyes, clutching his side and staggering to his feet as he looked around him, trying to figure out where they had fallen. Slowly, one by one, the other Links were also beginning to stumble and stagger back to their feet, each weary and aching from the fall, looking to see just where they had fallen.

A large, round platform of rock had saved the four from the perils of the lava surrounding them, situated just beneath the bridge from which they had fallen. However, there was nothing else in sight around them- as far as they were concerned, they were now trapped- surrounded by lava in every direction, without a bridge or so much as a rock poking out of the lava to help them escape.

"Where... where are we?" Green found himself asking dully, groaning and wincing in the pain as he clutched his arm, upon which he'd fallen on top of after the bridge broke. He idly massaged it, wincing again at the pain in his elbow simply from touching it. _This cannot be good_, he thought with an inward groan.

"Stuck again, it looks like," Vio grunted, grimacing himself as he also struggled to stand, limping lightly for a moment before shaking his head and forcing himself into balance once more. He wondered idly if he'd twisted his ankle upon the fall, but... looking around them, he realized dully, that it wouldn't matter either way.

"Perfect," Blue spat, shaking his head and letting his arm fall to the side. His side ached and throbbed with pain, but he bluntly ignored it, instead stepping forward and looking around him once again. "Just _perfect_. What the hell do we do now?"

The three boys looked at one another, their eyes still narrowed and their bruises aching at them and reminding them of the earlier fight... But all at once, their eyes snapped open, and they looked to the side.

"_Red_!"

Instantly, running up to the last Link to get up, the other three swarmed around Red, who still lay collapsed on the ground. Though each tried to help him to his feet, it each became apparent to them, as they looked at their friend's closed eyes, that he was not going to stand up on his own willpower. Instead, the boy slumped backwards once again- the shock of the fall having rendered the smaller Link unconscious.

"D-Damnit! Vio, you ass, this is all your fault!" Blue roared in fury as he stood up, turning around and facing the other, his hands once more balled into tight fists.

"MY fault?-!" Vio cried back in surprise, though also standing up and facing the other in anger. "This never would have happened if-"

"BOTH of you, be quiet!" Green shouted, his face also twisted in fury, as he got up, rounding on both of them. "Don't you see what's going on?-! We're-"

With a terrifying, thundering sound, and a horrendous jolt, the three Links suddenly found themselves shouting and flung to the ground as the ground beneath them heaved and tilted backwards, the magma around them splashing upwards in the great vibration. And yet, these splashes seemed minimal to the great explosion in the lava on the other side of the rock platform- like a waterspout from hell, a sudden blast of the fire had shot out from the lava in front of them, rocking the boat-like rock platform and sending the three Links falling down with a start.

Eyes wide, the three Links looked up, as the platform began to stabilize once more, at what was slowly emerging from the wall of flame surrounding the circular platform.

A massive, scaly leg, shrouded in terrible, clanking armor, thundered on the rock platform, shaking the ground once more, and another soon followed after it as a pair of legs, bearing scales and hooked claws, slammed down on the ground. Swishing violently behind it was a long, scaly tail, also clad in armor which rattled and shrieked as each plate slid over the other with the tail's movement.

And lastly, towering above the legs and lizard-like tail, with a tall upper body and scaly hands to match its feet, the head of a gargantuan, reptilian monster looked down at the children, its crocodile-like teeth opened wide and jaws flashing in a terrifying, screeching roar. Its entire body was loosely clad in the horrible, twisted armor- but even worse than the armor were the flames that danced around it, surrounding the monster in the fire of the lava around them.

Seemingly unharmed by the flames, instead commanding them as a powerful and effective shield, the Fire Dinolfos roared as it took another massive step forward, the rock once more shaking with its movement, raising over its head a massive, arced blade and cackling in fierce delight.

Swearing violently, Green shook his head, teeth grit, as he struggled once more to his feet, standing over Red. "Blue, Vio! Distract it! I'll protect Red!" he shouted, barking orders instantly as he glared up with grim determination at the new enemy, nearly twice their size, which had jumped out of the flames at them.

"Like _hell_ you will!" Blue instead shouted back, eyes blazing in fury at the audacity of the other. "Move aside! I've got this!" he snapped, shoving Green harshly aside as he stood in front of Red, bringing up his sword and looking up with enraged eyes at the Dinolfos as it continued to cackle, slowly stomping across the ground as it began to close the distance between them.

"Blue, why don't you listen to someone _else_, for a change?-!" Vio snapped back in fury as he shook his head, regaining his senses and drawing his sword as well. Slowly, he was beginning to back off to the side, keeping a careful eye on the Dinolfos, hoping to lure it away from the still-unconscious Red.

"Thanks, Vio, but I don't need your '_backup_'," Green snapped back coldly, and Vio, blinking in surprise, grit his teeth and looked away in quiet anger.

"HEY! Heads up!" Blue shouted, looking up in fury as the Dinolfos, cackling, suddenly jumped forward with a screech, slicing downwards with its blade at its intended target: the lone boy standing over Red. Grunting in fury, Blue raised his sword horizontally, bearing the full brunt of the sword attack on his own sword, only to shove his blade forward, sending the Dinolfos toppling backwards. Using this opportunity to strike, Blue jumped forward, lashing his blade out- but his blade met only empty air as the flames swirled around him, causing him to jump back in order to avoid the onslaught of fire.

Using the fire as his shield, screeching and chattering once more, the Fire Dinolfos slowly backed away, sneering with its twisted grin and setting its sights on the other boys.

"I thought you said you'd distract it?-!" Blue snapped at Green, panting from the blow.

"I said YOU would, idiot!" Green shouted backwards, infuriated at Blue- not having the time nor patience to deal with him, as the Dinolfos had suddenly advanced on him, swinging its blade. Green had raised his shield in defense and was doing his best to parry the blows- but every time he struck back with his own, like before, the flames rose up around it and defended the lizard creature from any attacks. He frantically thought of his boomerang, but, remembering its wooden surface, quickly decided against it. His eyes darted over to Vio, "Hey! Help me out, here!"

Gritting his teeth past his anger at the others, sheathing his sword and instead whipping out his bow, the Link instantly fitted an arrow to the string, aiming right in between the armor of the Dinolfos. However, he noticed with an angry start, the arrow was incinerated by the surrounding fire before it had a chance to even reach its target. Replacing the bow back behind him, Vio instead raced forward, his blade trailing artfully behind him, as he tried to rush the Dinolfos on his own from behind, swinging his sword expertly in a rounded back-slice. Vio's sword grazed against the metal of the armor plating, his eyes narrowing as he hoped to wound the animal beneath- but as soon as the silver of his sword screeched against the metal of his armor, he found himself shouting as he flew back, landing harshly against the stone, thrown back by the force of the fire around the Dinolfos.

With a cackling laugh, the Fire Dinolfos, dancing in its protective armor of fire, whirled around as it once more advanced upon Green. And though he tried as he could, the boy's face was slowly but surely being lined with sweat- from the heat, and from his own exhaustion- as he fought against the Dinolfos, though being pushed further and further against the edge of the rock. In a desperate bid as he tried to avoid falling in the magma, Green tried rolling to the side-

And yet, crying out in pain and anger, suddenly felt himself hit heads with another, and stumbled back, wrapping a hand over his forehead and looking up furiously at who he'd run into. Blue, swearing loudly and holding his head, was flinging a string of all sorts of curse words at Green for running into him, and after he was trying to help and do what Green had said, too.

Cackling, seeing both wounded kids at his feet, the Dinolfos raised its saber and swung at the two incapacitated children. Though the two tried to scramble to their feet and get away, even though the blade missed them, the monster's second attack blew them backwards towards the center of the floor, the fire blasting against them and burning around them in fervor. Once more, the two shouted in pain as they both bumped up against something else. And, rubbing his head, Vio groaned as he tried to stand up after being hit by the other two, who had been thrown to the side by the Dinolfos' powerful fire attack.

Weakly opening his eyes, Green grit his teeth as his thoughts raced through his mind. They were getting their asses handed to them by this lizard, and it was because they weren't working as a team. Weary and exhausted from their fight against one another, they hardly had the strength left to stand up against the Dinolfos- the real enemy. It was pitiful... What would Red say?

... _Red_!

With a start, Green gasped as he looked past the approaching Dinolfos to where Red had fallen. The others, seeing his gaze, also looked, wide-eyed, past the approaching enemy to their friend.

Groaning, and weakly pushing his arms beneath him, Red's arms trembled as they tried to support the weight of his weakened body and push himself back up on his feet. Getting to his knees, Red shook his head and put a hand to his aching, throbbing temple, trying to open his eyes as he stumbled out of unconsciousness. Lifting his gaze, he suddenly blinked and gasped, freezing at what he saw.

The Fire Dinolfos, still cackling in its mad screeching sounds, had slowly begun to descend upon the three fallen heroes, raising its sword high as it prepared to deliver the final strike. The children were finished, broken and defeated- there would be nothing left to stop him from killing them once and for all. And yet, a sudden cry alerted the lizard, and, screaming in hate, the Dinolfos whirled around, its wide eyes looking around for the source of the shout.

Still unable to get to his feet, Red grunted as he used his sword to support the upper half of his body, his arms still shaking as he looked up at the Dinolfos, his eyes narrowed in determination. He'd shouted at the enemy, gotten its attention away from the others... And though the others, struggling to their feet, were trying to protest against it, Red gave a grim smile as he watched the Dinolfos began to approach upon the new, even weaker enemy...

And yet, as it approached, Red's eyes narrowed, his hand wrapping tightly around the hilt of his sword. His gaze, though focused intently on the approaching monster, slowly began to drift downwards to the rock platform upon which they were fighting... Once more, his hands re-gripped the golden handle of his blade.

And as the Dinolfos screeched in rage, taking another step forward and raising its saber high, the other Links shouting out in protest, and the wall of flames roaring around the monster, Red's voice was suddenly the loudest of them all as he yelled loudly, jumping up as best he could and raising his sword high- only to plunge it sharply downwards, deep into the rock, where it sunk half-way into a magma-lined crack in the surface.

In that instant, everything paused- as instead, a familiar sound began to shatter through the silence of the fight. Its eyes wide, one leg still raised, the Dinolfos looked down in surprise at the source of the sound- a wide crack, splitting from where Red's blade had been stabbed into the rock, was slowly, but surely, splitting a wide chasm in the surface of the rock.

There was another instant of silence, when the Dinolfos looked up at Red with wide eyes, suddenly realizing what he had done.

But that silence was shattered in the next instant, when the cracks in the surface finally gave way, as had the bridge above them, and the ground beneath the great beast suddenly opened up, the hot magma from beneath roaring up angrily and devouring the Dinolfos which, screeching, had fallen right through the hole and into the searing lava.

Struggling to their feet, the three Links, shocked into silence, stood and slowly walked over to the hole in the platform, through which the enemy had fallen and become immersed in the deadly lava.

"Is... is it gone?" Green asked, shaking his head incredulously.

And yet, the one who answered gave them all a surprise, and the three heroes looked up in shock to see Red standing next to them, giving a weak smile and a nod.

"Y-yeah, I think so..." Though his voice was a bit shaky, he swallowed past his fears, and even allowed a short laugh to escape his lips. Grinning again, he looked back up at the others, his sword held in his limp, yet still unwavering, grasp. "Heh... that was a close one... wasn't it?"

Laughing and cheering in excitement, the three Links suddenly swarmed their friend, nearly lifting him off the ground as they hugged him, patted him on the back, and talked eagerly about him, glad he was alright and impressed that he had defeated the Dinolfos.

"Guys..."

Faltering, and quieting down, the three Links took a step back and looked strangely back at Red, whose voice was fading once again.

Looking down sadly at the crack in the ground, Red sighed and shook his head, looking back up at the others with pleading eyes. "Can't we just... get along?" he asked sadly, imploring at them with his words. "...Please? I _know_ we'd be a much better team if we didn't all fight..."

Nervously, and a bit sadly, the three Links looked at one another. Their previous fight on top of the bridge hadn't yet been forgotten- or hardly even forgiven, for that matter, but...

All at once, the silence was broken by a deep, unsettling rumbling sound, and the Links staggered around, eyes wide, as the ground beneath them began to shake. Slowly, the four heroes looked at one another, a sinking feeling eating at them as the rumbling continued, growing by every second...

And in the next instant, the rumbling was shattered by a sudden explosion behind them, and the four heroes shouted out as the jumped aside, looking back in fear at what had caused the explosion. The ground beneath them was shaking and swerving violently, and pieces of rock along their platform were being blasted away, incinerated instantly into bits as blasts of fire shot out from underneath them, eating away at the platform, and even shooting up all around the platform itself.

The sickening cracking sound had also returned, and, as the Links noticed with wide eyes, the cracks were beginning to spread quicker and quicker amongst the holes blown in the platform by the raging lava beneath them.

"The... the volcano... it's going to _erupt_!" Vio shouted suddenly, looking around frantically. And though the heroes, looking around in wide-eyed fear, began to gather close to one another... none of them were prepared for what happened next.

With a horrible shattering sound, and another loud explosion, the surface beneath the Links suddenly split open, shattering into pieces and spreading out into the lava. Shouting out, the boys each desperately clung to the rock they stood underneath, and, with wide eyes, stared ahead in panic as the lava around them, shaken by the eruptions of Death Mountain, began to move rapidly beneath them...

And, helpless to change the flow of the fire's tide, the four heroes instead shouted in alarm as they began to barrel down the lava river, clinging to the small pieces of rock left from the platform, the fires all around them blazing up and blasting the entire mountain into the furious, deadly dance of the flames.

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><p><strong>Starting off their adventure, and already the Links can't seem to get along.<strong>

**And yet, that seems to be the LEAST of their worries right now...**

**Instead, the Links are now stranded on scattered rocks, flowing down the deadly magma river as the volcano erupts around them.**

**Find out what happens to them in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Thirteen: _Flame_!**


	13. Flame

**Separated and flowing helplessly down the river of magma, we return as the Links struggle to get along- and to survive- inside the erupting volcano.**

**Read along to continue the adventure in the depths of Death Mountain! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen:<strong> Flame

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><p>The mountain, roaring and rumbling in its eruptions, was no longer the calm and silent landscape which the boys had first entered. Instead, as the ground shook, lava shot out from every angle and boulders fell from the caverns, slamming onto the ground and shattering into pieces or splashing inside the deadly magma and sending waves of the fire-hot molten lava swirling through the volcano. And, caught up in the middle of nature's violence, the four young heroes found themselves suddenly in the midst of it all, clinging on to their slabs of stone for dear life as, helpless to change their course, they began to rapidly, uncontrollably, flow along down river of magma which barreled through the depths of the volcano.<p>

His eyes frantically dodging from side to side, his knuckles white as he gripped the sides of his small piece of rock, Red called out to the others desperately, trying to locate them in the tumultuous rapids of fire through which they were caught in.

"Green, Blue! Vio! Where are you?-!" the young boy called out, as loud as he could, leaning forward to try and look past the occasionally erupting blasts of lava shooting into the air, and the falling boulders which rumbled and shook the rooftops of the caverns, plummeting down to the magma river and causing more tidal waves of fire to rush over the rocky, internal landscape of the volcano. Crying out as he nearly slipped, Red leaned backwards once more on his tilting, unsteady platform, his chest heaving and his eyes wide.

"R-Red! Over here!"

Hearing the voice of another, Red gasped as he whirled around, straining to look as far as he could- though this time, keeping steady on his small rock plate. Waving at him was a green-sleeved arm, and Red's eyes lit up as he saw Green clinging to a rock on his own, also desperately struggling to hold on as the molten river carried the boys swiftly down the dangerous, deadly stream of fire.

"Where are the others?-!" Red shouted back to Green- but the other didn't need to reply, as Red's head quickly turned to the other side upon hearing two new voices.

"This way, Red!"

"Yeah, we're all here!"

The volcano continued to rumble and roar, the sides of the caverns and the roofs above once more shedding boulder after boulder, which would then skyrocket downwards, plummeting into the magma and causing the already unstable rocks to nearly flip into the magma. The four kids, on each of their rocks, scrambled to keep above the fire, crying out in shock each time there was a close call, then breathing a sigh of relief when they were able to stay afloat. And yet each of them knew, this luck wouldn't last forever.

"Green! What do we do?-!" Red cried, looking over to the other. He wasn't sure why he was asking Green first, but... In all this madness, in the seconds which flew by, each one of them with his life hanging on the edge of the rock upon which he clung to, he hardly had time to stop and think why.

"I-I don't know!" Green called back, his heart racing as he also looked frantically from side to side, looking at each of the boys as the molten river continued to carry them deeper and deeper into the unknown depths of Death Mountain. He shook his head desperately once more, "I don't see any ledges or ground we could get off on!"

"Then we'll just have to ride it out!" Blue roared back, gritting his teeth as he struggled to stay on his own rock. Crying out, however, he soon found this easier said than done as he nearly stumbled backwards, a sudden falling rock splashing inches in front of him and sending a massive wave of magma crashing over him. The other Links cried out in fear for their friend- but as the lava swelled back down, each breathed a sigh of relief as they saw the blue-clothed boy, though tense and terrified, crouching on the rock.

"H-hey!" Red suddenly shouted out, his eyes wide, upon noticing something. "Blue! Did you... did you switch rocks?-!"

Looking down at the boulder upon which he was floating, Blue looked up and gave Red a panicked, confused glance. "I had to!" he shouted back, stumbling again as he fell to his knees, gripping the side of his rock. "My other one went down into the magma!"

"That's _it_!" Red shouted with a grin, brightening up- his smile a welcoming sight to the others in the panicking situation. His glance suddenly drifted upwards, to the tops of the cave.

As he thought... massive stalactites were trembling on the cave-tops above, and every so often, the massive heaves of the volcano's eruptions sent one or two plunging to the magma below. At first he'd seen this as a hinderance, another obstacle they'd have to dodge in this split-second, life or death ride down the river of fire, but... Now that he thought of it, it would be their ticket out of there!

"Ach! Damnit, Blue, be careful!"

"Do you really think I can steer this crazy thing?-!"

"Both of you, watch out! You're aiming towards me!"

"Guys, guys! Listen! I know what we gotta do!" Red shouted, grinning, as he looked back down towards the others. And yet, his smile faltered as he instead looked, helpless, at the other boys.

Once more, as each of them rode down the magma river on their respective rocks, sometimes bumping into each other and other times accidentally causing another to almost tip, the young heroes were at each other again, shouting and yelling and arguing about getting in their way, or hurting rather than helping them.

Red groaned inwardly, his hands still struggling to keep hold of his small rock as it tossed and turned in the rapidly flowing magma. How the heck was he going to get them to stop fighting and finally listen to him?-!

His answer came unexpectedly, and, his eyes wide, Red gasped and shouted out in surprise as a sudden explosion in front of him rocked his plate backwards. Struggling to hold on to the rock before it tilted over, ignoring the cries of the others, his eyes desperately ran ahead of him, looking for his way out- and then, his eyes lit up.

Grunting and shouting past the effort, Red clambered on top of his slowly tipping rock... and, holding his breath, gripping tight his hold on the rock one last time, Red grit his teeth tight- and jumped.

Though the others cried out for him, Red hardly heard them as he landed sharply and roughly on the rock in front of him, rolling a few times before coming to a stop. However, he quickly lifted his head, looking around him in a panic, as if trying to confirm what had really happened.

Realizing what was going to happen before it occurred, Red had been ready- and now stood on a massive, fallen stalactite, which had plummeted into the magma- but, being so large, with a round top, it had fallen into the magma river, creating a large, round- and most importantly, stable- platform for Red to stand on. Glancing to the side, he even saw a nearby ledge coming up ahead- they'd certainly be able to grab onto it from the rock he stood on, if they all got there in time. Grinning, Red looked at the rock he stood on one more time before looking back at the others, shouting loudly, "Guys! Look! Everyone, get on this plate with me! We can use it to get to that ledge! Hurry!"

Instead of replying to Red, the boy's heart sank as he instead heard the other boys yelling and shouting at each other once again.

"Stop squirming, Blue! You're tilting towards me again!"

"HEY, if you've learned how to steer this damned thing, by all means, tell me!"

"Guys, you're leaning towards the edge! Get back or you'll fall in!"

Red watched with a sullen heart as the scattered rocks, both those carrying his friends and those empty, drifted across the river of fire, continued to drift away, the others seemingly have forgotten about their life and death situation and once again immersed in fighting with one another, rather than trying to work together to get out of this mess. Desperately, Red looked ahead of him, at the ledge which jutted out. If they weren't quick, they'd miss what might be their only chance to get out of there!

...Quietly, suddenly, a thought occurred to Red. He could jump off the ledge and be safe- and who knows? Maybe, once on solid ground, he could figure out some way to save them...

Instantly, however, something welled up inside Red, and, gritting his teeth, he shook his head violently. _No_, he told himself firmly, looking back out amongst his friends as they continued to struggle in the rolling waves of magma,_ I'm NOT leaving them. And if I can't get them to come to me from here... then there's only one other thing I can do._

The boy took a single, deep breath- mentally and physically preparing himself for what he was planning. His eyes closed briefly- but opened instantly as he started to survey the array of rocks on the surface of the magma around them.

...He'd have only one shot at this.

Without any further hesitation, shouting aloud, Red, his hands balled into fists, charged forwards, running up to the edge of his platform- and, as before, jumped. The eyes of the others followed him, wide and terrified, as he practically flew through the air...

And, with a massive thump, landed on a small, precariously-floating hunk of rock. His chest was heaving already, his hands scrambling to grab foothold on the rock- but there was no time to rest. Instead, gritting his teeth and shouting out again, Red repeated the dangerous move again- and again- and again, as he quickly turned, leaping from rock to rock across the rapidly-flowing, rumbling, and swelling river of fire. In some instances, his foot only once touched the rock before he leapt to another, wasting not a second as he headed towards the Link closest to him.

"_COME ON!_" Red shouted loudly and firmly, not wasting a second as he jumped on a rock platform right by Green's rock. Grabbing the other's hand, without even bothering to listen to the other's response- no, he couldn't wait for them anymore- the boy turned around and once more, jumped outwards. He could faintly hear Green's surprised yell as he was forced to follow- but, no, he had to concentrate. Green would follow him, jumping across the rocks which floated precariously over the magma river, but Red had to be in the mindset and know where to jump.

With narrowed, determined eyes, facing only ahead of him, Red repeated the process two more times over, jumping from rock to rock as he ran up to Blue's platform, gathering the other Link without a word, and then towards Vio's. On several occasions, he heard the others cry out in fear as another boulder slammed down from the roof above, causing the magma wave to once again threaten to topple them over- but nothing could dissuade him from what he knew he had to do. Dodging the falling rocks, his eyes and thoughts moving quickly from one moving platform to the next, Red continued to deftly maneuver on top of the deadly river, his sights lastly set on the large platform he had found earlier.

Finally, gasping for breath, Red's feet slammed against the hard rock of the large, circular platform, and, without wasting another moment, he ran towards the other side, making sure to leave room for the other three behind him to join him on the large platform, and quickly looked up. He ignored the sounds of the other Links as they scrambled to the platform behind him- and instead looked up in horror, his eyes wide and heart sinking in his chest as he watched the platform they could have reached drift past and behind them, eventually fading out of his view.

He had missed it.

...He'd been too late.

The others, panting behind him, were just catching their breath and regrouping on the safe rock, not noticing Red's silence and instead shaking their heads in disbelief at what Red had managed to accomplish.

"... I don't believe it... _How_ did you..."

"... That was... I mean, _jeez_, Red..."

"... I can't... That was practically _impossible_..."

However, in all their talking and heaving, each of them quieted down as they noticed Red's sullen, saddened face, looking away from them all in quiet despair.

Finally, looking at one another, Green was the first to speak as he walked up and gently placed a hand on Red's shoulder. "Hey... Red... you okay? Back there, that was..." he smiled weakly, trying to reassure the other with a small laugh. "Hey, that was pretty impressive, y'know, I don't know _how_ you were able to-"

"Don't you guys _get_ it?-!" Red suddenly exploded on them, turning sharply to face them with tear-streaked cheeks and reddened eyes. The others, shocked beyond words, blinked, taking a hesitant step back, and looked quietly at Red as he continued, pointing his arm high above and behind him.

"That ledge was our only _chance_!" Red pleaded with them, shaking his head, unable to stop the tears, or the words, from flowing despairingly out of him. "I tried so _hard_ to get you guys to stop fighting and just _listen_ to me, but you couldn't! Why?-! If you'd just listened to me and got on this rock when I asked, then maybe... we could've... we could've gotten _out_...!"

The Links, floating safely on the large, stable rock, could only stare in stunned, hurt silence as Red shouted at them, crying and shaking his head. Finally, they looked back at one another, their faces wrung with guilt. Each of them knew... despite what all their arguments had been, Red was right. It was their fault they had caused Red's plan to fail... if they hadn't been fighting, they would've been able to help him along and get to the ledge in time. Frowning sadly, the three Links looked back at Red, sullen and shame-faced.

"Red, I... I never meant to..."

"I'm sorry, Red, I didn't know..."

"You're right, we should've been..."

However, though they tried, none of the Links, their voices quiet and humbled, could get the last of them to look back at them. Instead, Red had turned around, his eyes squeezed shut as the tears continued to burn at his cheeks. At a loss for words, the three Links turned back to one another, exchanging saddened and guilty glances.

"Look, at least we're on one plate together," Vio said, finally breaking the silence. Though he was hesitant, he added with a small smile, "Maybe there'll be another ledge."

Green nodded. "What's important now is that we stay together," he added firmly, looking at the others and returning Vio's smile.

"If there's another ledge coming up, you'll bet we won't miss it again," Blue threw in, trying to give his old, wild grin- though, like the others, his enthusiasm was slightly faded, as they each knew the source of their enthusiasm no longer truly had his heart in it.

Still attempting a smile, Green nodded to the others as he turned back to Red. "Whadda ya say, Red?" Green asked, giving a light smile as he put a hand on Red's shoulder once more. "We'll do what you say- and no more arguing. Promise. Now come on, we've still gotta find a way out."

Sniffing and rubbing away his tears on the side of his sleeve, Red looked up through his sullen eyes, over his shoulder at the others. They were doing their best to smile reassuringly, standing together and asking Red with their eyes to once again believe in them, as he had their entire adventure thus far... Responding back with a weak smile of his own, Red sniffed once more and started to turn towards them...

And yet, as he did so, his eyes widened and his breath caught in his chest.

The others, slightly alarmed, looked in the direction Red had froze at- and their blood suddenly ran cold as they looked ahead at what was waiting for them, further on down the river of magma.

The roar of the volcano's eruptions had disguised it until now, but as they grew closer and closer to it, a new vicious sound was bellowing out throughout the caverns, echoing across the rock walls and sending shivers down the boys' spines. For a few hundred feet in front of them, the river... ended. But it did not end peacefully, in a small gathering or a lake. No...

Instead, the Links looked on in horror at the massive waterfall of molten lava and magma which awaited them at the river's end. The rocks which floated above the lava were tilting off and spiraling downwards through the water/lavafall's plunge, eventually slamming down to the continuing river of lava below. The rocks which before had been floating on the lava's surface, not yet engulfed by the flames of the magma, soon met their demise at the bottom of the lava-waterfall, falling of the 90-degree drop and plunging into the pool of magma below.

The waterfall of lava roared on, devouring every rock which came towards its edge and sending each one tipping over and falling into the fire at the bottom.

And the four were headed straight for it.

Finally, it was Blue who broke the stunned silence, swearing. "What... what the _hell_ are we going to do, Green?" he found himself stuttering, his voice almost quiet- a strange thing for the normally so bold Link. He took a step back, his eyes wide.

Vio's eyes had been frantically scanning the sides of the wide tunnel through which the river of magma had been running, and his heart was sinking as he shook his head slowly, muttering quietly the words, "I... I don't see any ledges before the falls. No entrances or caves, either..."

Worriedly, Green looked from one of the boys to the other, at all three of them, and then back at the falls. Taking a deep breath, the Link took a step back- and, his eyes narrowed, said firmly, trying to keep the shakiness out of his voice, "We _stick together_. That's what. Everyone, keep close- we'll ride it out, if we have to."

Slowly, Blue answered, nodding and narrowing his eyes in quiet determination, "And I'm not about to make the same mistake again, either. We're in this together. Whether we make it or not..." He glanced back towards the others.

Slowly, the corners of Vio's mouth tilted up in a dry, small smile, and he nodded as well, walking up to the two and joining them. "I see few other options," he said dryly, though continued to smile as he faced outwards, towards the approaching falls. "And I'd rather not go down alone," he finished, smirking quietly as he looked back at the others.

"Well, Red?" Green asked with a weak smile, looking over at the last Link. He stretched out his hand once more- though this time, offering it palm-up to the other, waiting for him to take his offered hand.

And yet... while the others had been talking to one another, reassuring each other and huddling close together... as a _team_... something in Red had been stirring, speaking... _awakening_... And Red looked out, with wide eyes, as the thoughts in his head turned into words, and the words into pictures... and the pictures... into _memories_...

_"We're here to save you, Vio!" Red cried cheerfully as he and the others leapt on top of the precarious boulder, the Fire Rod held tightly in his grasp. He looked brightly to the side as Green, grinning and shouting alongside him, jumped onto the boulder as well, the Four Sword glistening in his grasp. They were back again... Finally... finally together again, a team!_

_"Green! Blue!" Vio gasped, looking down, and then up, as the fourth Link jumped on top of the pole he had been tied to, the Four Sword also held tightly in his grip._

_Suddenly, however, Vio began to squirm, struggling against the ropes which bound against him, instead shouting out in panic, "N-No! You guys don't understand- Get off this boulder! Now!-!"_

_The other three Links, confused, looked down- and, in a split second, saw the lava waiting beneath them as the boulder, hanging on the side of the cliff, suddenly broke off from its hold and began to plunge down towards the magma beneath..._

_"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Though the others shouted in fear as the rock rapidly approached the fire, it was Red who grinned, jumping forward and jerking out in front of him the rod he held, aiming downwards beneath the falling boulder._

_"... ICE ROD!" Red shouted with a large grin, and in an instant, the red orb on the top of his rod turned blue, and a blast of frosty air rocketed out from its source. And as all the Links expected to be submerged in the lava waiting below- instead, they were jolted to a sudden stop, each gasping as they looked down at the sheet of ice above the magma which had saved their fall._

_Grinning, Red leaned forward over the boulder, looking at the ice. Looking over his shoulder, he proudly grinned towards Blue, "See? It's not all the way frozen, there's still magma under the ice!"_

_"Wow," Blue gasped, unable to help himself from also leaning over and staring at the sheet of ice which had saved them from the magma below._

_The magma..._

_The ice..._

_The **Ice Rod**..._

Instantly, Red's eyes snapped open.

His _weapon_!

"G-Guys!" Red suddenly found himself stuttering, stumbling backwards in shock. The others, alarmed at his sudden stagger, gathered around him in worry- but their worries were soon dashed away as Red beamed up at them.

"My... my weapon... I remember what it is!" he burst out cheerfully.

The others blinked, looking at one another in confusion.

"Um... great?" Green asked with a weak, confused grin.

"How's that going to help us?" Blue grumbled under his breath, looking back with wide, worried eyes at the approaching lava-waterfall...

And yet, with a glint in his eye, Red stepped forward, having pulled out his rod, now holding it in his hand.

"... Just watch."

Taking a deep breath, Red slowly walked toward the edge of the boulder, looking out to the waterfall of magma, which was growing closer and closer towards them. He took a deep breath, and looked over his shoulder at the others... who stood close beside him, each looking at him curiously- though each of them quiet, ready to trust him and stay together for whatever he had in mind.

Red grinned.

"Hold on tight!" he shouted, unable to stop a laugh from bursting out of his mouth as the edge of the magma drew even closer and closer. And as the giant rock slowly began to tip over the edge, the three Links huddled together around their friend, eyes widening slowly in fear...

With another wide grin, and a laugh, Red jumped forward to the edge of the boulder, leaning over, unafraid, with his rod pointed straight downwards. And as the boulder finally tipped and began to fall, with the other Links holding on to one another and screaming as they plunged downwards... It was Red who shouted above them all, his voice loud and triumphant.

"ICE ROD!-!-!"

With wide eyes, the other three Links watched in wonder- their jaws agape- at the blast of light-blue, icy-cold frost magic which had burst from the tip of Red's once-red, now-blue orb on top of his rod. The blast of magic rocketed downwards, speeding faster than the large rock platform could fall, and slammed against the molten-magma surface below. Instantly, the cool wind of the magic spread over the surface of the magma, and in seconds, a thick layer of ice glistened overtop the boiling surface.

And in the next second, all of the Links shouted as they were thrown to the ground by the impact of their rock platform hitting the surface of the ice and slamming into a near-complete stop. And even though the thick ice was not enough to stop the massive weight from crushing through it, the ice significantly reduced the fall, and, while the ice was shattered by the rock's fall and scattered loosely across the surface of the magma, the rock instead swayed idly in the magma, remaining balanced and afloat in the burning lava.

It took a moment for the three Links to stagger back to their feet, dazed from the sudden stop of momentum and the impact of the rock hitting the ice, breaking through it, but settling calmly back on the magma surface below. However, when they finally got to their senses, they stared with open jaws and wide eyes at Red, who was standing there and grinning widely, his arms crossed and the Ice Rod gripped firmly in his grasp.

"How the..."

"What in the..."

"...You've gotta be KIDDING me!" Blue roared, bursting into a wide grin. And the others, following suit of their friend, burst into laughter and wide smiles as they all crowded around Red, talking eagerly and all looking at his powerful, impressive weapon.

Vio shook his head as the others calmed down, smiling as he insisted, "How did you know it did that? I never would have guessed from just looking at it, that it was capable of such magic!"

"Well," Green interrupted with a grin, "I never would have guessed just looking at Red what _he_ was capable of."

Red couldn't hide his grin.

"So..." he ventured, putting away his Ice Rod and looking at the others with a weak grin. "Are we... okay, now? No more fights...?"

There was a small pause as the other three Links looked at one another in quiet surprise. However, after a moment, each of them smiled, nodding and looking back at Red.

"Promise," Green affirmed with a grin and a nod. "I'm sorry for earlier, Red... For _everything_, earlier. I promise you, I won't fight with each other any more."

"Nor me," Vio replied quickly and simply, nodding and smiling. "It was very brash of me to be fighting... and I apologize. You have my word, it will not happen again, Red."

Laughing, Blue jumped upwards, wrapping his arms around the other three Links and beaming as he did so. The others grinned weakly through his giant hug, but, still laughing, he grinned as he spoke loudly, "You can say _that_ again! From now on, we'll be a _team_. And the _best_ damn team this land has _ever_ seen!" he added with another laugh.

"I think for once, we can agree on something," Vio pointed out dryly, with a wry smirk, as he wriggled free of Blue's hug, brushing off the shoulder of his tunic.

Also grinning in the hug, Red nodded in response. He'd... he'd done it. They were a team, once again. And no matter how much he had to smile, in the worst of times, no matter how bad things got... He'd always be there to keep them going.

"Now... where exactly are we going?" Green asked with a weak grin, also struggling free of Blue's iron-grip hug. The others, laughing along, turned to look to here they were headed.

"If I'm not mistaken, this river should lead us deeper into the temple," Vio mused with a quiet smirk, walking to the edge of the rock. The flow on the bottom of the molten magma falls was much calmer, and now the four heroes drifted about at an almost leisurely pace. However, casting a glance to the side, Vio smirked as he crossed his arms, saying idly, "By the way, Blue... About earlier?" The others paused and looked at Vio, surprised and slightly worried that he would bring up the fight from before. And yet, a calm, clever smile crept up on Vio's face, as he cast a side-long glance at Blue, and spoke calmly and simply. "...You're a decent fighter."

Blinking in brief surprise, Blue looked back at Vio for a moment- before sneering back good-naturedly, rounding on the other one. "Yeah, well... you're not so bad yourself," he snapped back irritably, though the others could see his grin was far from malicious.

A small pause grew between the two as the others looked on- and, slowly, Vio extended his hand towards the other, giving a small, wry smile.

"...Truce?"

Blue looked down at the offered hand. After a small pause... Smirking, he grabbed the hand and shook it, nodding back firmly at the other, returning the lopsided grin.

"...Truce."

Smiling, the three Links turned around and joined Red at the edge of the rock, looking outwards as a team, into the unknown. And standing in the middle of them, grinning widely, Red held out his Ice Rod, looking unafraid through the tunnel which the river of lava was leading them.

"Well, wherever it's taking us," the young, small Link said with a bright grin, looking back at the others, and then back out into the depths of the volcano.

"I just _know_ we'll be ready for it!"

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><p><strong>Hooray! Thanks to the return of a small piece of Red's memory, (memory scene is copyrighted Akira Himekawa) the four Links have made it out of the dangerous river of lava alright, regrouped and as a team.<strong>

**But another mystery still awaits them, even deeper in the mountain...**

**How will they find the Fire Element? Will they encounter any new enemies standing in their way?**

**Their travels in Death Mountain conclude in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Fourteen: _Burn_!**


	14. Burn

**The Links' journey through the depths of the volcano are coming to an end.**

**What will they find at the end of the road?**

**Get ready for an intense, _heated_ chapter! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen:<strong> Burn

* * *

><p>The river of lava which the Links had been floating on for quite some time had still remained flowing at a calm, even pace- nothing like the terrifying rapids from before. However, its speed was not the only thing which had changed about the magma river as it flowed deeper into the caverns of the volcano- its size had slowly but surely began to thin the deeper they flowed, until it was no longer the vast, wide river from before, but instead a small flow of lava, barely wide enough to hold the large rock the heroes stood upon. And as the river itself thinned... so the walls had grown closer, and the tunnel, closing tighter and tighter upon the boys.<p>

However, even though the tunnel had closed in on them and shrouded the boys in darkness, a single flame was lit in front of them, keeping the light shining on them all. The three Links looked on with quiet awe at the flame which grew from the tip of Red's rod, staying at a calm and steady size in order to provide a light for the heroes in the dark tunnel.

"Who knew? It's a Fire _and_ an Ice Rod," Red explained cheerfully with a grin, holding up further his Fire Rod, letting the flame which danced around the orb light up their surroundings.

Part of that single memory he'd gotten back had told him of the double-powers of his rod, and, during the trip down the river, he couldn't stop talking to the others about the brief flashback into the shadows of his hidden memories.

"Perhaps something occurred which sparked that memory in particular?" Vio had offered with a shrug. After a pause, he'd then added dryly, "Though I can't say I quite enjoy the thought that I was once tied up and dangled over a pit of lava."

Red had only grinned back. He knew exactly what had brought on the flashback- the others, finally grouping together as a team. When they had all set aside their differences and prepared to face the lava's fall together... that had been enough to give Red that single, yet precious glimpse backwards into his own memories. But he knew now, he didn't have to tell them that. From now on... they'd _remain_ a team- memories or not.

Their conversations soon came to a halt, however, as their surroundings in front of them once again were changing. Leaning forward and looking as far away as they could down the river, the four Links were eventually able to spot the change in the river's flow- and though what was there might have worried them before, now, they all instead smiled, turning to look towards Red.

"Well? Would you care to do the honors for us, Red?" Vio asked with a sly smirk, backing up along with the others to give their friend some room.

Laughing, Red brought down his Fire Rod, the flame extinguished from it, and nodded. "You bet!" he replied eagerly, his eyes lighting up. Still grinning, the boy walked up to the edge of the rock, looking down- unafraid- at the approaching drop. It was much like the lava waterfall from before, but, as the others were no longer afraid of it, neither was Red, and the boy instead faced it with a grin as he held out his weapon

And at the right moment, just as the rock began to tip over the side-

"ICE ROD!"

Red's command, loud and true, to his weapon instantly sparked the red orb on its top to change colors to that familiar, icy-blue, as a blast of cold, frosty magic flew from its tip, spiraling down towards the lava below. And though the rock eventually fell over the side- the Links were now screaming with wide grins on their faces- the Ice Rod had worked its magic, and created a thick layer of ice below them. The large rock, like before, broke the ice upon impact- but it was still more than enough to slow down the platform's fall, and it stayed perfectly afloat at the bottom of the magma waterfall, with all of its riders safely atop it.

Now safely at the bottom of the lava's falls, the four Links stepped forward once more, looking around them with wide eyes at the new room which they had fallen into.

The first thing the Links noticed were the waterfalls of lava that bordered the entire cavern. Around the entire, circular room, lava flowed in from every angle, the magma falling from high cliffs down into the room, covering the floors in the magma and leaving what seemed like an ocean of lava in the room. However, this sight then led to the next- that, while the magma indeed covered nearly the entire room, there was one place where it did not reach. A single, round rock platform in the center of the room stood firm against the magma, floating just above its reach. There were other, smaller platforms of rock which moved about in the lava in a circular motion around the platform, but they were small and unstable- much like the rocks each of the Links had ridden on down the magma river. And yet, as the Links began to drift towards the center platform, each of their eyes widened as they began to notice something.

"H-Hey... we're sinking!"

Frantically, the four heroes whirled around, looking at their own platform. Indeed, the magma in this room seemed to be too much for the rock which had already fallen down two falls, and slowly, the magma was beginning to creep along the sides and sink the platform.

"Everyone onto the center platform!" Green shouted instantly, and, without hesitation, the four boys ran forward, jumping off their sinking boat and onto the more stable platform in the center of the room. Looking behind them, each of the Links watched in slight worry as their ride from before continued to sink into the bubbling, boiling hot magma- until it was completely submerged, and the Links now found themselves stuck in the large room of magma and lava.

"Do... do you suppose this is as far as we can go?" Red asked, slightly worried, as he looked around him- though still keeping close to the others.

"I don't see an exit anywhere," Vio said, shaking his head in slight frustration as he, too, kept his gaze outwards and scanning every possible exit from the room.

And yet, as the Links stayed together, each of them calmly trying to discuss their next step, or how they should attempt to escape from the next room, none of them noticed the silent approach of a new presence hovering above them...

Finally, however, their attention was forced to the new presence as it laughed and finally spoke.

"Wow, you four managed to get this far already? You all must be quicker on your feet than I thought."

The voice laughed again, and this time, the four Links looked upward with wide, yet narrowed eyes, as he continued to speak. "It's a shame the eruptions haven't yet burned you all to a crisp."

"Shadow!" Blue snarled in fury, remembering the boy's name from back in the prison dungeons.

Shadow grinned as he idly examined his fingers. "The one and only," he replied with another laugh, glancing back at the others- as the familiar, twisting cluster of dark magic began to form around his fingers. "I'll admit, I'm shocked you even managed to get this far," he continued with a shrug, as the black ball of shadow magic continued to gather and form around his open palm. "But don't worry about that," he added with a sinister grin, slowly raising his hand and laughing. "We'll fix that soon enough."

"_Coward_," Vio hissed, his fury contained- though obviously just waiting to burst beneath the surface of his calm and self-composed exterior. His fist clenched furiously at his side, but he instead held himself back and snapped cooly, "Why not come down here and face us yourself?"

"Aw, but where's the fun in that?" Shadow replied with a fanged grin, the shadow in his hands now bulging and bursting in size and power, throbbing almost hungrily as it awaited eagerly the command from its master. "No, I'd like to have a little fun, first. Wouldn't you agree?" he added with a laugh, his sneer turning sinister as he took a step back in the air which he hovered.

Green's eyes, while also narrowed in anger as the others were, instead focused on the black magic forming around Shadow's hands. Taking a slow, deep breath, the hero took a step back, gripping cautiously his sword in one hand, and shield in another. "Coming to send another one of your _pets_ at us again, then?" he growled quietly, also looking up at their enemy in anger.

"... Pets? Now, that's not a very nice word for them," Shadow laughed. And as he raised his hands up, his eyes glinted as he spoke one last time to them, in the instant before his dark magic exploded outwards once more, shrouding the Links in darkness.

"... Think of them as my... _guests_. ...Play nice, now."

And as the darkness burst forth from the boy's hands, shrouding the entire room in shadows, Green was the first to act, instantly jumping backwards and bringing out his shield in front of him. Eyes wide, the boy shouted loud to his friends, making sure he kept his eyes on all of them before the darkness finally enclosed them.

"Guys! Stay in the center of the platform!_ Stick together_!"

Heeding the cry of their companion, the three heroes quickly backed up against each other, keeping close and looking from side to side, desperately trying to see through the clouds of darkness which had suddenly appeared from the magic of the shadow and had shrouded their entire view of the once wide and open room in darkness. As the darkness settled, the room fell deathly quiet- neither of the Links daring to make a sound as they stood together, looking into the darkness- desperately awaiting a break in the clouds.

This break came all too suddenly for the four young heroes.

In a sudden blast of fire and light, shattering the darkness around them, out from the magma around them burst a massive creature, shrieking in an almost equine-sounding cry as it lunged forward, a wave of lava splashing around it and slicing through the thick darkness which had settled around the room. And as the four heroes looked on, wide-eyed in shock, at the monster which had emerged, as the spraying magma blasted away the bits of darkness, the light from the blazing inferno around them lit up the monster as it had burst from the lake of fire around them.

Charging forwards, upwards out of its ocean, the monster once more neighed again, its eyes wide and blazing in fury and its horse-like head thrust outwards, the blackened and jaggy horns on either side of its head curled around and pointed forwards. A mane of fire blazed out from its neck, and a trail of magma flew from its four front hooves as it raised them high, blasting out of the magma and leaving a trail of bright, harsh light in its wake. Lastly, flowing from the back of its body, instead of the typical back end of a horse, instead a thick, powerful back tail, like that of a fish, helped propel it out of the water, globs of magma flying off of its silver-scaled surface as it arced through the air, guiding the sea-horse of fire through its leap, and then downwards into the magma below.

And as the Blazing Charger Steed, Equinnus, dove back downwards, into the sea of fire and magma, its marine-like tail beat powerfully against the surface, sending another wave of magma bursting over the blazing hot surface and spiraling towards the heroes in the center platform. The darkness had all but dissipated by the time the magnificent, and terrible creature had burst through the surface of the lava, yet even as the Links saw the approaching wave of lava, none of them budged an inch- instead, with faces hardened in determination, each raised up their shield and crouched against each other- refusing to split up again.

And yet, as the wave struck powerfully against the side of the platform- this no longer became merely a choice.

With a loud shout from each of the heroes, in surprise and in fear, the four children found themselves flung to the ground by the massive impact created by the fire-enshrined monster's attack. Caught off-guard and stumbling to the ground, neither of them had time to react- before the beast struck once again.

Neighing again in its shrill, terrifying battle-cry, Equinnus once more leapt out of the lava, charging forward with its thick, muscled neck arched- only this time, its aimed downfall was not back in the magma. Instead, the beast screamed as it soared over the platform itself- and, slamming down with its heavy, molten-rock hooves, the beast landed dead center in the middle of the Links' circle which they had formed to stay together.

The result was instantaneous- without so much as a second to catch their breaths, all of the Links shouted out as they were flung in opposite directions, arms flailing as they found themselves flying off the center platform- aimed right for the deadly pool of lava swarming around them.

Gasping for breath as the cold stone struck against his chest, Red clawed the stone underneath him as he desperately tried to gain hold of what had saved him from the deadly, boiling lava beneath him. He had landed rather harshly- knocking the breath clean out of him- on one of the smaller, less balanced floating rocks around the center platform. Instantly, his eyes shot up, his gaze darting from side to side as he desperately searched for the others.

Blue, Green, and Vio were also struggling to keep hold on the platforms they'd fallen on- looking down in fear at the menacing lava below and doing all they could to keep from tipping over or falling into the deadly inferno.

Without so much as a second's hesitation, as soon as its hooves had struck on the center platform, Equinnus, once more screeching in horror, leapt back off of the platform, instead diving once more back into the lava. Large splashes of magma burst out of the pool as it returned to its elemental arena, and as soon as it had been submerged in the molten rock and fire- it had all but disappeared, leaving the four Links struggling to hold onto the only thing standing between them and their fiery deaths in the magma below.

Instantly, Red's mind began to race, recent memories of the deadly ride down the magma river flashing in his mind. The current from the eruptions had been bad enough- but with the sea-horse of flame charging in and out of the magma, churning it into choppy, malicious waves... they didn't stand a _chance_, separated onto each of the individual platforms. His eyes widened, the conclusion appearing clearly before his eyes. They all had to get back on the center platform- it was the only way they stood a chance against the beast.

Still trying to keep a foothold on his grip, Red shouted out loudly to the others, hoping his voice would be enough to reach them, on all sides of the arena and with the monster continuing its terrifying neighing, splashing in and out of the magma and causing platforms left and right to tip and sink into the lava.

"EVERYONE! GET TO THE CENTER PLATFORM! NOW!-!"

The replies came loud and clear- and Red's heart lifted as each of them, in turn, responded as best they could, still struggling to keep their grips on the platforms beneath them.

"You got it, Red!" Blue roared, his teeth clenched in a half-grin, yet his temple sweating and his muscles twitching as he kept his grip firm on the rock, struggling to stay on as the waves of magma churned and splashed around beneath him.

"Not a problem!" Vio also shouted back, trying also to retain his cool and calm smirk that was his trademark- yet he, too, was showing signs of wear and exhaustion, his hands nearly bleeding as they struggled to stay on the tops of his own rocky, imbalanced platform, as it turned and tilted under the sway of the lava.

"Just watch us, Red!" Green called back with a laugh, his jaw and muscles also clenched, his hands tightly gripping the edges of his rocky platform as he began to shakily try and stand on it, looking from side to side in a desperate attempt to figure out how to return to the center platform.

And as Equinnus, screeching and neighing in wild fury, continued to dive in and out of the lava, its tail lashing behind it at every leap, the once-calm lake of magma began to rage along with its demon, swaying the platforms which were scattered along its surface beyond the intensity of the volcano's own natural eruptions. The unmanned platforms of rock, tossed and twisted by the fury of the magma, tilted and uprooted in the fire- some sinking entirely into the inferno, others desperately keeping afloat.

His eyes wide and frantic, Red, finally getting a bearing on his platform, instantly began to search for the next rock to jump to. He knew what he was doing- he'd merely repeat what he'd done earlier to gather all the Links together. Jump from platform to platform, trusting his instincts and leaping without fear of falling. And yet, as he leapt to the first open rock, his mind suddenly blasted him with a different sort of fear: how would the others even know what to do?-! Grunting as he caught himself on the next rock, and gasping to catch his breath, Red instantly looked back up, his mouth wide as he prepared to shout to the others instructions-

However... instead of words coming from his open mouth, Red simply stared in open-mouthed amazement, and heart-lifting joy, at what he saw.

Their faces grinning in determination and drive, Green, Blue, and Vio each, without fear or hesitation, had begun to do what they had been told: leaping from boulder to passing boulder, catching themselves just in time before turning and jumping to the next available platform... Each of them, though performing it in their own way, had learned from Red and had seen what they needed to do.

Blue, laughing, leapt over a passing wave, grinning wildly as if mocking the lava for its miss, and landed harshly on another platform before turning and instantly jumping again. He even seemed to be enjoying himself as he dared and defied death over and over, jumping from boulder to boulder.

His mouth set into a firm, smug smirk, Vio's eyes were also darting cleverly from side to side as he threw his mind and soul into calculating each jump, each distance and how far he would need to jump to clear the dangerous waves of fire and land safely on the other side. He wasted no time- keeping the smirk on his confident face- and turning and repeating the process once again.

Lastly, Green, his eyes focused intently on each jump, also had his mouth spread in a wide grin as he set upon the task of leaping from rock to rock. His eyes moved from his feet, to the rocks he jumped on, to the lava around him- laughing once as he landed, and then turned, unafraid, ready to make the next jump.

So... all along, they _had_ been paying attention to him. When it really counted... he was not truly ignored by them. Red suddenly found his heart blazing in a warmth even hotter than the magma beneath him, and, with a bright grin- tears threatening to well up in joy beneath his eyes- continued without hesitation or worry, leaping over the flying chunks of molten magma and landing safely on each subsequent plate of rock.

And finally, before long, each of the Links gasped for breath as they heard the satisfying sound of their boots landing sharply on the safe, sturdy rock platform in the center of the arena. They had all made it safely to the middle... and, without wasting a second more- as Equinnus, oblivious to the fact that they had made it to the center, continued to scream and thrash around in the lava around them- ran towards the center to meet each other once again.

Gasping and panting, laughing as the sweat poured down their faces, each of their eyes were wide with excitement and exhaustion as they checked to make sure they had all arrived at the middle safely.

"You... you guys... How did you know how to..." Red found himself panting, his grin so wide it almost pulled at his face.

"What can I say? We had a _great_ teacher," Green replied with a hard-set grin, still lightly panting from the exertion and the death-defying leaps of faith each Link had taken on their short, yet thrilling, journey back to the center of the room.

Vio nodded, returning the smile, as he also managed to catch his breath. "We never would have made that if not for your rescue earlier, Red," he said with a firm nod. "You taught us well."

"Heh... That, and, speaking of teaching..."

Green, Red and Vio looked over to the side at Blue, eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"How about you show us how it's done, Red?" Blue asked with a laugh and a grin, standing up and jerking his thumb off to the side. Following his gaze, the three Links looked back out towards the magma once more.

Equinnus, roaring and neighing in fury, leapt out of the magma once more, the globs and chunks of lava erupting out from its every jump and splashing in all directions. However, its burning eyes instantly jerked to the side, and its nostrils flared in fury as it noticed the four boys safely upon the middle platform. With another screeching neigh, plunging back into the lava, the monster instantly changed its directions, no longer bothering with churning the magma to try and make the children fall in.

Instead, its eyes now set on the four Links, huddled in the center of the platform, the horse now began to jump up and down, in and out of the lava, as it raced towards the center platform. All of the Links knew, with silent dread, just what the horse was planning on doing- if it had its way, it would repeat the attack from earlier, and leap upwards into the air, only to stomp downwards on the ground and once more send the children scattered amongst the rocks.

Red grinned. Not if _he_ could help it.

"Everyone, get around me!" Red instantly commanded, facing the raging and rapidly approaching monster. "Kneel down, shields up! And whatever you do, _don't move_!" His authoritative tone and confident voice surprised even him- but he pushed the thoughts of doubt away. Now was not the time to be unsure of himself... now was the time for him to do what his gut was telling him, to go with his instincts. Even if his memories, his thoughts, could not support him in this unsure split-second decision... something even deeper was telling him exactly what he had to do.

And as the others, without a second's hesitation, instantly gathered around Red, kneeling down and holding up their shields- as he stood in the center of them, looking the approaching demon right in its eyes with a bold, unafraid grin- for the first time since awakening in the prison dungeon, he truly felt... like a _hero_.

Slowly, the boy raised high his Ice Rod.

Another grin began to form on Red's face, his eyes focusing on the rapidly-approaching demon. In his hand he gripped tight his weapon... knowing just what he had to do. In the instant that the creature leapt... his eyes flashed... and his mouth opened wide.

And as the fire demon Equinnus leapt, its mouth wide open in a raging roar, its four front hooves curled underneath it, prepared to strike, and its eyes blazing in eternal, blazing fury... The split-second after it leapt seemed to go in slow motion, the particles of lava flying from its eruption in all directions, the full force of the monster's charge aimed straight towards the boy who stood firm in the center of the platform...

"... ICE ROD! FREEZE-ATTACK!-!"

And all at once, it ended- with a massive explosion of light and sound.

Bursting from the tip of Red's rod, like nothing else any of the children had ever seen before, blew a massive, sturdy wave of ice and frost magic, slamming out of the small orb and growing in an instant into a massive barrier of snow and ice. The barrier, the defending wall and explosion of ice and wind, barreled forwards against the demon horse, meeting the charging demon head-on in the seconds before it met its mark. However, the target of the monster Equinnus was never met- as the massive, hurtling wall of ice and frost magic swept over the charging demon, stopping the beast cold and frozen in its tracks, and instead sending it flying backwards with a loud, terrifying shriek.

The frost and chill wind of Red's Ice Rod blew throughout the entire arena, bursting from its tip and pushing the demon horse as far back as the arena itself. The icy magic exploded outwards in all directions, and in a sudden, instant wind, the whole of the arena froze over in stillness and in frost. With a swift wave, the ice crackled as it formed a solid sheet over the magma around them, the waterfalls of lava frozen in their tracks, and the beast itself, master of its element, slammed far back against the wall of the arena with another roar in pain and defeat.

And as the ice magic finished its work, the demon sunk deep underneath the ice itself, disappearing in a swift and silent motion as the magic of the Ice Rod sealed the demon, encasing it under the thick sheet of frost magic which had covered the entire arena, leaving nothing but a calm stillness and a silence which slowly began to drive away the terror and noise from only seconds before.

Finally, as the silence dimmed, the three heroes surrounding Red lowered their shields, slowly standing and looking around them in wonder.

"Un_believable_..." Vio whispered, his eyes wide in awe. The others, too, took a few steps forward, looking around in amazement at the power the Ice Rod had wrought on the entire arena.

And yet... There was one among them who remained still.

Despite the incredible power of his attack, and the seemingly permanence of its effect on the demon, now trapped beneath the ice... Red, his brow furrowed and a curious, unsure frown on his face, looked straight ahead in solid concentration at the patch of ice through which the demon had been sealed.

No... it couldn't be this easy... Something inside of him... The _hero_ speaking to him... It told him, this was still _far_ from over.

Red took a tentative, quiet step forward, his footstep echoing across the ice...

Silence.

He cast his gaze slowly over the ice-encased arena...

Still... nothing but silence.

Finally, venturing a smile, Red turned towards the others. "I... I think it's okay now, guys," he said, daring to give a small nod. "I think it's-"

And yet, in the instant which followed, Red would soon find out- he was dearly, dearly wrong.

In a massive, screeching sound and an eruption of fire and heat, bursting from the ice in front of them and charging straight upwards into the sky, came the flaming, screaming form of Equinnus. The magma around it seethed and roared in fury, and its very form was throbbing uncontrollably, as if mutating horribly by the wound it had suffered... And as the four children, who had leapt backwards together and once more came together as a team, looked upwards, each of their hearts fell at what they witnessed.

From every side of the room, bursting out of the ice and flying wildly to the pulsing, screaming monster, slabs of metal and molten, hissing iron slammed into the side of the creature hovering in the air above them. The horse continued its demonic, terror-filled neighing as it jerked and twisted in the air, the metal searing onto it and binding it into parts of its body.

Slowly, its form still pulsing, its aquatic-like tail began to disappear... and instead, two massive, muscled back legs grew from its form, a second pair of horns sprouted up next to the first, and, with the final piece of metallic armor slammed into place, the Armored Molten Stallion, Equinnus, looked down upon its enemies with a rekindled, reforged, burning hatred and desire for revenge. Fire and magma flew around its muscled, rejuvenated form, and in the few places metal did not reach nor cover, even its very skin was alive with the burning hatred of the magma below.

Rearing up on its newly-formed hind legs, striking the air with its metal-plated, four front hooves, Equinnus screamed in rage and fury, its jagged, metallic lower jaw squealing as it hinged open, as it slammed its fire-engulfed, metal-plated horns forward, leaping downwards and charging unmercifully at the four young heroes once again.

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><p><strong>Ahhh! Shadow has shown himself once more to the heroes, and this time, he is MUCH more serious about trying to get rid of the Links. <strong>

**And though they seemed to have survived the first half of the deadly Equinnus' attacks... **

**What new terror will it wreak in its new, and more powerful, secondary form?**

**The battle continues- and concludes- in tomorrow's epic installment, Chapter Fifteen: _Spark_!**


	15. Spark

**The battle heats up in the depths of Death Mountain, as the Links face Equinnus' fiery vengeance.**

**Will the Links be able to survive this monstrosity? Or will they succumb to the flames of the fight?**

**Only one way to find out!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen:<strong> Spark

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><p>The rage and fire erupting from all sides of the room sent the arena lighting up in flashes of red, nearly blinding the four boys who stood together in the center, facing against the reawakened and reforged monster before them. The strong ice which had encased the entire room was being shattered left and right as Equinnus, controlling its element, commanded shoots of magma to burst out from underneath the ice. Strong and blazing pillars of fire blasted out from underneath, sending chunks of shattered ice careening off to the side, leaving holes scattered around the room through which the fire exploded out of.<p>

And in the center of the platform, where the boys stood, the blazing horse-demon, half-sealed in burning metal and the other half smoldering in molten magma, screamed once more in fury as it charged downwards at the four heroes.

"Get out of the way!" Green found himself shouting, eyes wide in fear as the horse charged downwards, aimed right at the center of their gathering. Without hardly a second's breath, the four heroes instantly scattered, running off to the side as they desperately ran to get out of the way of the rapidly approaching, seemingly unstoppable demon.

However, even as they ran, they found themselves skidding and sliding on the ice, having to change direction mid-run to avoid the fire which burst out from underneath the ice. No longer was there one safe place surrounded by a river of magma- instead, the whole arena, once frozen over, was now a minefield, the magma beneath threatening to burst out at any place and any moment and engulf the heroes in its fiery rage.

"No!" Red shouted in despair, as he, too, struggled to gain a firm foothold on the slippery ice, jumping aside every once in a while to avoid the bursting magma shooting through the ice. His eyes were wide and they darted frantically from side to side. "We can't be separated again!" he shouted fearfully, only crying out once more as he slipped and fell onto the ice, wincing as a sudden wave of heat blew against him- a pillar of fire blasting through the ice only a few inches in front of him.

"Red! Blue! Vio!" Shouting loudly, Green tried to rise his voice above the roar of the flames and the furious neighing of the demonic horse as it continued to charge around the ice, its metallic hooves pounding furiously on the ice and sending shards of glass-like frost flying through the air, only to sizzle instantly as they flew into the pillars of fire blasting all around the room of ice. Green grunted as he slipped, yet caught himself on his hands before falling flat on the ice. He scrambled to his feet, looking around him once again- but unfortunately, all he could see were the pillars of fire, blasting out from the ground at odd intervals and blocking his view. "Where are you guys?-!"

Struggling through the fire, Red's eyes blinked open as he tried to see through the walls of fire being blasted out from the ice at every second. He was panting and gasping for breath, and, his feet finally finding a hold on the ice, jumped to his feet, jerking his Ice Rod out in front of him once more. He... he had to get in sight of that monster! It was using the fire to its advantage, charging through the arena and engulfing the entire room in flames in hopes of burning the four heroes before they ever had a chance to land a blow on him. Gripping the rod tightly in his fist, he turned frantically around, his eyes jumping from side to side in desperate hopes of-

_There_!

Red's eyes snapped open- as he caught a sudden, but visible glimpse of the beast charging ahead of him, whinnying in rage as it pounded the ice beneath it, shoots of fire blasting up around it as it ran. His breath caught in his chest, and, jerking the Ice Rod in front of him once more, he hardly had a second to spare, instead shouting out loud as he blasted a bolt of icy magic out in front of him.

The split-second of Equinnus passing by Red was all he needed. Red could hear the monster screaming in agony, leaping upwards as the blast of frost ricocheted off its side, grazing past it and searing a frozen gash into its side. However, it was not enough to stop the horse- and instead it charged ahead onwards, the fire building even greater around it as it ran from Red's terrifying weapon.

"Hey! Over here!" came a loud shout to Red's left, and his head jerked instantly, his eyes darting around to see who had called him. And yet, as he did this, he was suddenly caught unaware, shouting as he fell backwards, another pillar of fire blasting up just inches in front of him and sending him falling to his knees.

Red's eyes blinked open, blinded temporarily by the sparks and the smoke which flew from the fire in front of him, as he tried to see who had called him. He could faintly see one of the others maneuvering through the pillars of fire, running up to his fallen friend. Wrapping his arms quickly around the other's shoulders, the boy grunted as he helped Red back to his feet- and yet, Red, still blinded by the fire, could hardly see who it was.

"Red! What do we do?" The boy shouted above the flames, helping the other regain his balance before looking around once more at the flames surrounding them. Even his voice was clouded and choked in the roar and heat of the flames... rubbing his eyes, Red shook his head as he tried to clear the fears from his thoughts- this wasn't the time for worry or doubts, he had to make sure everyone got back together.

"I- I think... I need to get a clear shot at it!" Red shouted, coughing once and shaking his head, once more rubbing his eyes as he tried to see who it was. "Can you and the others lure it to me? It's hiding behind these pillars of fire! If only I could get one, good shot at it-"

The boy nodded instantly. "Done!" he responded quickly, not wasting a second and instead turning around and racing back through the flames once more. Red, regaining his sight, could faintly see his friend's outline as the other disappeared into the maze of flames and ice.

Red, trying to regain his senses around the roar of the flames, faintly wondered just what he had done- had he _really_ just sent his friend back into the dangerous inferno, in hopes of relaying to the others Red's plan, and getting them to also run through the fires in order to lead the dangerous beast to Red? Was he asking too much of his friends- demanding something he shouldn't? And yet, clearing away those doubts in an instant, came the recent memory of the boys leaping over the lava from boulder to boulder, moving at Red's command and with faith that he had taught them well. They could do it... they trusted him, so he would have to trust them back.

Finally, the smoke beginning to clear, Red shook his head and instantly took in his surroundings. The ice around him was weak and cracking, smoldering from the heat of the pillars of fire roaring all around him. Whipping out his Ice Rod, Red once more commanded the blast of ice to shoot out of its tip, freezing up holes in the ice and keeping him from falling under. Briefly, he glanced to the side- and, finding himself close to a wall of the arena, ran towards it, keeping his back to it and freezing the ground in front of him again, making sure he had a firm foundation for what he had planned.

Whirling around, backing up against the wall, Red wasted not a second longer as he thrust his Ice Rod high up into the air- and once more blasted a straight, fierce jolt of ice up into the air. It would do little help to him- but he knew, its bright blue-white light, standing apart from the harsh reds and oranges of the fires in the arena, would stand out- and thus serve as a signal to the others, showing them where Red was- where they needed to lead the monster.

Gulping past his fears, and looking slowly back in front of him, into the raging inferno, Red slowly held out his Ice Rod, gripping it tightly. All he had to do now- all he _could_ do- was wait. Past the pillars of fire and magma which roared above the ice, he could see nothing- could hear nothing but the high-pitched shrieks of Equinnus as it charged around the arena, and the deep, menacing roars of the fire as it blazed constantly around it. He would just have to trust the others to lead it right to Red... Into the open and waiting arms of his Ice Rod.

And though doubt and worry crept on him like the heat of the flames around him... he stood firm in his belief and resolve, ready and waiting for the others. They would come- they'd stick together, like the team he knew they were.

And yet, all too quickly- they came.

Red only saw a split second of his three friends racing around the pillars of fire, headed straight towards where Red signal had been- before the great demonic monster himself, Equinnus, charged through the pillars of fire behind them, the magma rising around it and its great bulk slamming down with every one of its six footsteps on the ice beneath. Its eyes were ride and raging at the three children it chased- but, as it looked up, those eyes also widened in a split-second of realization- and fear.

For in front of them, his eyes narrowed and his Ice Rod raised, stood Red. A small grin crept on his face- and, without waiting another second, took a firm, strong step forward, flinging his Rod out in front of him and shouting bold and unafraid to the beast.

"ICE ROD! _FREEZE ATTACK!-!_"

The blast rocketing from the orb at the end of the rod was incredible and instantaneous- with his friends at his side, Red grinned and watched as the blast of ice shooting out of his Ice Rod grew to dozens of times the size of its earlier blast, slicing the air in front of him as it barreled towards the charging monster. Equinnus had not a second to react- but instead whinnied in rage and pain as the monstrous, powerful wave of ice slammed over it, blasting over and past it and in seconds quenching all of the fires in the room.

The ice cracked and crinkled as it crept over the screaming form of the demon horse, Equinnus stumbling backwards as it began to lose control of its own body. Slowly, as the arena around them turned to ice, so the monster itself slowly began to succumb to the freeze which engulfed it, covering it and freezing it fully- on its outside, and the inside. For as it finally stopped, falling backwards onto the ice, the ice which had frozen solid over the beast began to creep into it as well... And as the monster itself turned to ice, one last slicing crack was heard...

And, all at once, the massive block of ice that was once the powerful monster of fire shattered, trillions of pieces of the glistening ice blasting off in all directions, leaving nothing but the scattered shards of ice where the terrifying Equinnus had once stood.

When the ice had finally scattered and stopped across the frozen ground, silence finally returned to the arena, and the four boys looked out at the wide, empty room.

"... I don't believe it," Green breathed, wide eyed in wonder and taking a step forward. There was nothing left of the monster- the entire room was calm and still.

Smiling, Vio looked down at the shards of ice which had scattered by their feet. "... It's finally done, then," he spoke quietly and calmly, nodding and looking back at the others.

"Red, you _did it_!" Blue shouted out loudly in cheer, laughing and jumping up, wapping an arm around his friend's shoulder eagerly.

Grinning, Red looked up at his friends, lowering his Ice Rod and even laughing himself.

"_WE_ did it!" Red corrected with a bright grin, nodding eagerly as he faced his friends, putting away his powerful Ice Rod.

Once more, the four heroes gathered together, talking and laughing excitedly, congratulating them all and overall rejoicing in their collective victory. And yet, as each of them spoke, slowly, one by one they began to quiet down and look to the side, noticing something strange glowing near the center of the arena. Soon, all of their eyes were focused strangely on the center of the ice-encased arena- where a soft, red glow was emanating from underneath the ice.

Frowning, Red slowly began to walk past them. He wasn't sure why, but... something was drawing him to it. He wasn't afraid of it, didn't think it was the monster returning, but... For some reason, he _had_ to go see what it was. Though the others took a hesitant step forward as if to stop him, each of them let the boy walk up to the center, quiet and calm as he knelt down in front of the ice, brushing away the shards of ice from the surface and looking down underneath it, from where the glow was coming.

And slowly, melting away in front of his eyes, the ice began to open up into a small crevice, as if submitting to the will of the auburn-red glow, which was slowly rising upwards and to the surface.

Unafraid, and with eyes wide in amazement, Red watched as the light rose upwards and out of the ice- until he found himself staring at a small, glowing red stone, floating in the air in front of him and glowing in a warm, almost sunset-red light. As the stone rose upwards, Red stood to his feet, looking in awe at its delicately-carved surface, its elegantly-curved arches that formed the exact same symbol they'd seen engraved on the entrance to the Temple.

The other three boys slowly approached Red, standing behind him and smiling.

"Go on, take it," Green said with a nod and a smile. Each of the Links around him nodded in agreement- each of them knowing just what it was. "You've earned it."

Looking over his shoulder, Red grinned in response and nodded back, turning back in front of him to look at the glowing Fire Element in front of him. And slowly, in confidence and reverence, Red reached out and took the stone in his grasp.

Almost instantly, as soon as his fingers had touched and wrapped around the smooth surface of the element, the red glow which grew from its center expanded and engulfed the heroes, almost in a warm embrace of light. The three who stood behind Red lifted their hands to shield their eyes from the light... and when it finally died down, lowered their hands, looking strangely at the boy who stood calmly with their backs to them.

Red's eyes had widened, and his heart had nearly stopped in his chest as he held the element in his hands. Suddenly, a wave of emotions and feelings swept through him, and he found himself stumbling forward, the element gripped tightly in his hand and a torrent of thoughts running through his mind. He could faintly hear the others shout out as the ran forward to catch him before he fell, and he once again stumbled backwards, shaking his head and regaining his senses.

"Red! Are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Slowly, his breathing began to resume, and Red found himself blinking rapidly, his sight restored and his senses regained. His head shook briefly and, in almost a trance-like motion, he turned around and looked at the three boys gathered around him.

And the boy who had called himself Red... looking incredulously upon the others, gasped- and then, shouting out in joy, jumped upwards, wrapping his arms around all of them and crying out in tearful joy.

"BLUE! GREEN! VIO! GUYS! IT'S YOU! YOU'RE HERE! WE'RE HERE!" Shouting out loudly and crying, Red bawled loudly as he hugged his friends, the words sprouting from his mouth almost uncontrollably and each rambling over the other.

Startled, Vio was the first to step back, catching himself and Red as he lightly grinned. "Um, yes, Red... it's us... What are you...?"

"Red! What's come over you?-!" Blue snorted, reluctantly shoving the smaller boy off of him.

"Hey... you okay, Red?" Green asked with a weak smile, also stepping away from the sudden and unexpected embrace of the other.

"G-GUYS! GUYSGUYS!" Red shouted, jumping up and down and still crying in glee. Finally, he forced himself to calm down- taking a deep breath, only to burst out in a wide grin once more, and shout out at the top of his lungs, and from the depths of his heart.

"I... _I REMEMBER EVERYTHING!-!-!_"

The confused and awkward smiles of the others suddenly vanished, instantly replaced with wide eyes and open jaws, looks of shock coming over each of their faces.

"What... what did you say?-!"

"What do you mean, you remember?-!"

"What in the world happened?-!"

Grinning and bouncing in glee, the tears pouring over his eyes and streaking down his cheeks, Red looked at each of his friends in turn. "I do!" he shouted out eagerly, jumping up and down. "Everything! I remember! That element... it must've restored my memory! I remember _everything_, guys! About us, as a team, about our adventures together, the Four Sword and, and, and..."

The words were bubbling eagerly out of him, and the others, laughing at the silly sight of their friend bouncing and squealing, eventually calmed their friend down, talking calmly to him until he had finally taken a few deep breaths, slowing down.

Still grinning eagerly, his smile so wide it threatened to fall off his face, Red held up the Fire Element in his hands. "I... I think it gave me back my memories, guys," he finally squealed, having calmed down somewhat from the shock and excitement of his returned memories. And still, even as he was calmed, his insides and thoughts were bursting with excitement. In his joy, he was replaying his own memories over and over again- the black shadows over his mind were gone, and memories of times past were flooding over him, one by one.

He knew _just_ who he was now- Red. Link. One of the Four Sword heroes... And one of the members of the greatest team in all of Hyrule. Red grinned widely again.

The others, as their friend spoke, found their gaze directed downwards to the softly glowing stone in Red's hands. The Fire Element... upon receiving its blessing, Red had regained his memories- those lost when the curse upon the Four Sword had been placed. With the return of its powers, a piece of the curse had been shattered.

"Do... do you suppose, we'll each get our memories back, too?" Blue asked quietly, the first to speak up- though offering a small smile to his smaller friend.

"Well... I dunno," Red said after a moment, his face turning a bit serious as he thought about it. Frowning, he looked down at the stone, then back at the others, smiling. "I think maybe each element we find will restore each of our memories. Maybe each element that matches us?" He grinned as he lifted the element once more, its red light glowing almost elegantly across the ice-encased room.

Vio nodded calmly. "That sounds about right," he commented idly, though also deep in thought about the matter. So, Red's memories had been regained... And, if their assumptions were correct, each element they retrieved would restore each of their respective memories. He gave a small smile, "I suppose now we know how we can restore our memories." The others nodded at him- but Vio was not finished. Instead, still smiling, he turned to Vio and said calmly, pointing towards him, "Red... hold out your sword for a moment."

Blinking in confusion, but willingly accepting what his friend said, Red nodded and pulled out his Four Sword with his free hand, holding it outwards and pointed down. And as the light from the Fire Element grew, the four heroes watched in quiet amazement as the stone, floating away from Red's grasp, hovered lightly above the hilt of the sword, where the dull, red gem sat...

And, in another brilliant, bright burst of red light- whereupon the boys each closed their eyes against the blinding light- the Fire Element slowly faded away... And the boys, their eyes now open, watched as the element seemed to lose physical form... instead slowly being drawn into the hilt of the Sword itself. And as the element finally disappeared away from the physical world, its light glowed brilliantly against the hilt of the Four Sword- the red gem, inlaid in its golden surface, now polished and gleaming majestically up at the amazed, four children.

Smiling, Vio nodded. "As I suspected," he said calmly, the light of the element finally fading away- yet leaving the jewel in Red's sword glistening and bright. The others turned to him, looking at him in mild confusion and surprise, and Vio smiled again. "The owl told us the elements would be the key to restoring the swords, didn't he?" he explained, shrugging. "It only goes to follow, then, that the elements are a source of power for the sword. Each element we gain will break the curse of our amnesia, and then re-instill the blade with power. This is how we will be able to defeat the two who have taken over the kingdom."

The three others were silent for a moment- but eventually, Blue burst into a grin, and he shook his head, almost incredulously, laughing. Walking up to Vio, he clapped the other on the shoulder and said, sneering in a good-natured laugh, "Alright, alright, we get it. You're the smart one..." He then snorted as he looked off to the side, mumbling under his breath, "...show-off."

The four boys laughed along with the joke, but, speaking through the laughter, Red grinned as he piped up, "Yeah! Vio, you're the smart one, Blue's the strong one, Green, you're our leader, and I'm the glue that keeps everyone together and keeps everyone happy!" He laughed as he rambled on, jumping up in down in excitement at being able to remember everything.

"Woah, woah, woah, hold up there, Red," Green said, still lightly laughing, though shaking his head and holding up a hand. He raised an eyebrow- though he was slightly confused with all that Red had said, he smiled and said, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder, "There'll be plenty of time for talking later. Right now, we should probably find a way out of here."

"I don't think that should be a problem," Vio said with a smile, looking up at the frozen falls around them. The uneven chunks of magma which had once flowed down the falls were frozen solid, and had now become jagged and sticking out- perfect for climbing on. "We'll simply climb back up and walk back to the entrance," he said, nodding and looking back at them. "Red can use his Ice Rod to help if we get stuck, too," he added with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Blue retorted back with a bold grin. He looked over at Vio and playfully punched his shoulder. "Five rupees says I can beat you to the top."

Vio raised an eyebrow. "You're on," he replied with a quiet smirk.

"I dunno, Vio," Green said, laughing and shaking his head, but also turning to walk alongside them, "You may be biting off more than you can chew, there!"

Grinning, Red took a meek step forward, clearing his throat before piping up with a small grin...

"... Um... Can we take the mine-cart back?"

Freezing in their tracks, the three heroes stopped- and looked over their shoulders at Red. The small hero stood there, wearing a wide, almost pleading grin.

The silence stretched on over the three heroes... but, as they looked at each other, then back at Red... They all sighed and shook their heads.

"... Oh, fine."

"... I suppose so."

"... I STILL won't like it, just so you know."

Cheering loudly and bursting into a grin, Red jumped upwards in excitement and ran forward, jumping up once again and wrapping his arms around them in a hug. The others returned his thanks with weak grins- and before they knew it, Red had jumped forward once again, grinning and laughing as he ran to the climb the frozen waterfall, leaving the other three standing silently and watching in quiet shock as Red began to quickly climb the frozen falls.

"... Heck, screw _Blue_ beating you, Vio," Green said with a weak grin and a laugh, "I think _Red's_ going to beat you _both_!"

"NOT on my watch!" Blue roared with a laugh, and, in an instant, all three of the Links ran forward to join their friend, eagerly climbing the falls in a race against one another, their hearts and spirits lifted with their triumph and regained unity.

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><p><strong>With the gained Fire Element, Red has suddenly gained all of his memories back! :D Woo-hoo!<strong>

**But there are still four elements scattered across Hyrule left to obtain!**

**And Veran and Onox still stand in their way, along with the mysterious assassin, Shadow...**

**What adventures await the Links next?**

**Find out in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Sixteen: _Torment_!**


	16. Torment

**While the Links head off, away from Death Mountain, we rejoin a familiar face as he struggles to find his place in this world...**

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen:<strong> Torment

* * *

><p>Carrying along on its currents the faint, bitter smell of ash and burnt charcoal, the wind blew in an almost sullen, melancholy fashion over the once grand and bright village of Castle Town. In an almost stark difference from only a few days past, when the wind had nearly danced in relation to the happy and peaceful atmosphere of the town... it now instead drifted quietly, howling its sadness across the nearby hills and gently blowing over the town, as if expressing its sorrow along with the Town's current state.<p>

The raging fire which had been part of the first attack upon the town had all but destroyed the once bustling and busy streets of Castle Town- houses and shops now stood as blackened, empty shells of what they once were. Only a few of the larger buildings remained intact, or partially burnt- and those few who remained to their town clung dear to what little shelter they had left. Sorrow hung on every shoulder, the people binding together in their loss and hiding in the few places not yet overrun by the rest of Veran and Onox's forces.

However, as his calm, red eyes scanned the streets, he realized with a blunt thought that it may not long until the entire city was taken. Shadow monsters without physical forms, armored skeletons without flesh, and other sorts of despicable and malevolent creatures crawled through every alley and street, knowing nothing but the commands of their creators as they stalked the roads, looking for any and all who had not yet been taken prisoner.

And yet... his calm eyes suddenly, briefly widened in light surprise as he noticed something. One shadow monster in particular, its horrible sneer cackling across its darkened form, was slowly heading down a small alley, in between two burnt houses... And, as he could see, on the other side and hiding in the blackened shell... Huddled together in a silent, terrified group, knelt two children, covered in soot and ash and with eyes wide as they hid silently amongst the debris, praying the approaching shadow monster would not find it.

Something pulled at his heart, and his throat suddenly tightened. His jaw clenched- and, his fingers curling around the cold stone beneath him, he forced himself to stay put. There was nothing he could do- there was nothing he _should_ do. They... they deserved it. After all the oppression the light had held against the darkness... It was righting the wrongs... It was _justice_...

And yet, no matter what he tried to tell himself, he could not quench the screaming in his gut which shouted at him, that _this_ was what was wrong- and that justice was a far cry from revenge.

Desperately, he tried to close his eyes, shielding the decision away from him- but even he could not bring himself to look away. Instead, he watched, his entire being torn in two- yet the stronger half keeping him sitting straight and firm where he was- as the shadow creature rounded the alley, looking maliciously into the burned-down house...

The seconds passed...

And, with a grunt and a snarl, the monster, snorting in contempt, turned around- having not seen the hiding children- and continued walking down the alleyways, searching in every nook and cranny for signs of life. He could just barely see the children as they sighed collectively in relief, though remaining calm and silent as they continued to hide.

Sighing quietly and slowly, Shadow finally closed his eyes, leaning back against the cool stone once more.

Strange... why was _relief_, of all feelings, seeping over him? He wondered this in disgust as he lounged against the stone windowsill of the castle, overlooking the town below. He shouldn't have ever felt any sort of pity or worry for the children. Not if he were a bad guy- the bad guy was the one who _sent_ those beings after them, who had burned down their homes and destroyed and ruined many lives in order to take the title of King, or Ruler. And he had already accepted that title and that lifestyle for himself... so why had the small, insignificant occasion bothered him so?

Once more snarling in rage and contempt, Shadow opened his blood-red eyes, his hands balling up into fists at his side and his arms crossing fiercely. Forcing his gaze away from the pitiful, ruined town, he instead looked outwards across the gardens of the castle- strangely, one of the few things that had not been burned down in the attacks- and out towards the forest, where the hills stretched on for miles and met the blue skies of the horizon. If he could not force his thoughts to stop dwelling on the pathetic scene, then he would merely look elsewhere.

Sighing once more, Shadow once more relaxed and leaned backwards against the stone, one leg stretched out lazily on the stone and the other bent slightly upwards, an elbow resting over his knee. Having changed his view, he once again closed his eyes- forcing himself to, even if for a moment, catch up on his rest. Though their cries had dulled to nothing but a silent moan, Shadow could still feel the aches of his muscles as they attempted to recover from the energy-sapping affects of his powers. And as his thoughts drifted towards his exhaustion, he faintly replayed what had happened only so recently in his mind.

The Four Sword heroes... had so easily, almost without any effort at all, defeated the demon which he had created and summoned to kill them in the depths of the erupting Death Mountain. And not just its first form, either- but, like the Stalfos King before it, had even managed to survive and triumph over its second stage, when its power only grew from the injuries it had sustained. It was impressive, really... even if he would never say that to their faces.

However, as Shadow had been more serious about his attempts to kill them this time around, he had not settled on a wimpy, pathetic creature like the Stalfos King- but instead used a great deal more of his powers to create and set forth a challenging, deadly beast like no other.

And still... still, they had triumphed easily over it, defeating it and claiming the hard-earned Fire Element for their own.

With a good chunk of his energy sapped from the creation and deliverance of the monster- not to mention, the power wasted as he looked on from outside the mountain itself, and the other mission he'd completed afterwards- he'd not had the energy to return and finish them off himself.

... At least, that's what he told himself.

His closed eyes, in their attempt to relax, instead squinted angrily as his thoughts once more trailed off into a territory he did not want to dwell upon- a rare memory he did _not_ want to remember. Yeah, so he hadn't gone back to finish them off- so what? He had a legitimate reason for not doing so, and besides, they had three more temples to get through- there would be plenty of other chances later on. No need to waste all his energy on one attempt. There would be other chances.

And yet, he wondered idly with a curious frown, if he was so intent on believing these words of his... Why was he also so intent on establishing these reasons? Why did he feel the need to assert that he was doing it, not out of a desire to let the heroes live, but because he was merely tired?

Sighing audibly, Shadow shook his head as he opened his eyes, putting a hand to his forehead and gritting his teeth. _Damnit_, he thought, the hand at his temple forming into an angry fist, _why can't I stop thinking about that?-! Why can't I just let it alone, for once?-!_

Shaking his head once more, the boy sighed as he set his hand back down against the cold stone beneath him, his eyes following the movement of his hand as it brushed up against the rough, yet cool surface of the rock...

Once more, however, his eyes blinked in mild surprise, as his gaze instead caught the attention of something else, yet close to his hand.

Mere inches away from where his hand had rested stood a small, brightly-colored bird. Instantly, his mind thought _robin_- and the title seemed to fit, as the tiny, red-and-white bird, with an equally tiny beak and yet large eyes, looked up curiously at the boy who sat on the windowsill. It was almost frozen, like a statue- save for its wide eyes, which blinked once or twice, its gaze kept locked strangely on the one who shared its perch.

Frowning and furrowing his brow, Shadow withdrew his hand in dust, crossing his arms in the center of his chest and looking disdainfully at the minuscule bird.

"Hmph. I wouldn't get so close, little birdie," Shadow taunted with a sneer, leaning back lazily against the rock- yet keeping an aloof, scornful gaze on the unimportant little creature. Smirking, he continued with a hollow laugh, "I'm a villain, after all- the bad guy. See that town, over there?" Still smirking, the boy raised his hand and pointed out towards the burnt shell of what used to be Castle Town. Laughing dryly, he crossed his arms once more and looked back over at the bird with a cold glare. "_My_ handiwork- or so I've been told. Who knows what I'll do to _you_, huh?"

The bird, in all its silence and stillness, had followed the gaze and point of the boy, its wide eyes glancing over to the town below. And yet, as Shadow finished speaking, the robin once more looked over at the other. Its head tilted slightly, and its wings ruffled idly at its side- and yet, startling the boy briefly, blinking his eyes in shock, the tiny bird instead hopped forward, its tiny wings beating against the air as it flew upwards- only to land close by, settling down upon a nearby perch.

Blinking away his surprise, Shadow instead grit his teeth and looked with indifference and despite at the robin, which had landed- almost gracefully- on the boy's knee.

"... Stupid bird," Shadow muttered angrily to himself, his uncrossed hand forming into a fist at his side. Swinging it forward, the child stopped its swing only inches in front of the bird, hovering it there as an open threat and leaning forward to glare directly at the small bird.

"I'm the BAD guy, alright?-!" the child shouted in anger, finding the shadow magic sprouting from his fingertips in an almost subconscious response to his growing and building fury.

And yet- as the bird had been seemingly unfazed by the boy's earlier actions, so it surprisingly remained calm and still, looking at the dangerous fist which hovered inches away from its small, fragile body- and the intimidating, deadly wisps of shadow magic which danced across his fingers. Instead, the robin once more tilted its head, its gaze kept on the boy's hand...

And, with another quick, yet short flutter of wings, the bird had flown upwards- and once more found a new perch.

Shadow's eyes widened- in surprise and in a strange sort of pain- and his breath caught in his chest as the bird's tiny, light body settled on top of his balled-up, tensed fist. Its miniature talons had set themselves gently and easily over his fingers, and, unafraid of the magic, its wings had returned calmly to its sides, still keeping its gaze upwards at the boy. As it had flown and landed, the wisps of magic had instead suddenly vanished- leaving Shadow's wide, red eyes looking in shock at the bird which now perched calmly and daintily on his fist.

Briefly, a thought in the back of his mind prodded him as it asked, _If you're so sure you're the bad guy... then who are you trying to convince? The bird? ... Or yourself?_

Sighing once more in frustration, Shadow shut his eyes tightly, tilting his head away- and yet, the sudden noise of wings flapping rose up again, and the boy blinked his eyes back open, just catching the sight of the robin as it flew off of his hand, its tiny wings carrying its equally tiny body back, out into the world- through the gardens, and over the hills, flying up towards the clouds.

Shadow watched the bird as it flew off, a familiar- yet at the same time, strange- numbing pain eating away at his insides. The longing, the aching hunger...

... To do what? Shadow's eyes narrowed in thought. What was it... What was it that he _truly_ wanted? A question he'd found himself asking over and over again... His mind even drifting back to the owl in the Sanctuary, as it had advised him to look for his answers... What is it that he wanted? Was all the destruction below him, the despair and ruin of lives beneath him... was that what he truly wanted? To revel in the sorrow and misery of others, and gain his own pleasure from it, a twisted form of revenge, disguised as justice for wrongs he could not even remember?

At that thought, his eyes flashed in determination- no... _that's_ what he wanted. His own damned memories. He wanted to destroy the darkness inside his mind which was hiding, stealing away his own past from him. To once more be himself, and to know who himself even was...

And the only way to get that... was to destroy the Four Sword heroes.

So... he was right back to where he started. Shadow sighed, leaning back against the stone wall of the castle once again. How many times had he had the same, internal conversation with himself- why he was doing what he was doing- only to end up at the same conclusion as always? Nothing topped that single, simple desire: to regain his memories. And as far as he was concerned, the only way to achieve this would be to do what his entire body seemed to be against- kill the Four Sword heroes.

With a sigh, his mind drifted back towards his mission once more, idly remembering the extra trip he'd taken between Death Mountain and the castle-

His thoughts were suddenly and bluntly interrupted by the harsh, unexpected sound of wood slamming against stone, and, in idle surprise, Shadow looked up from his lounge on the stone windowsill towards the door. The heavy, wooden door to the empty room of the castle's tower had swung open, stopping only when it harshly struck the side of the stone-wall. And, crossing the invisible boundary between the two rooms... A smirk grew on Shadow's face as his deep-red eyes followed the movement of the two as they walked into the room, stopping once they came to stand in front of the boy in black.

Quietly, and coldly, Shadow laughed, looking away and back out through the gardens.

"My, my... Veran and Onox, _Supreme Rulers of Hyrule_... to what do I owe the pleasure?" Shadow sneered quietly, his voice dripping in sarcasm and keeping his face aimed outwards, yet his eyes glancing in an almost bored fashion to the side and over his shoulder at the two who had silently approached him.

However, the two who stood in front of him looked in a much less light mood than the boy of shadows who lounged idly before them. Instead, on the other end of the spectrum, Onox, the knight in brilliantly gold and sharp armor, took a heavy step forward, his jaw clenching in fury as he shot back at the shadow with his harsh, deep words.

"Save your small-talk, shadow," the Knight spat in disgust, calling the boy not by his name, but by its being- as if hardly respecting the boy enough to acknowledge its name. "You know very damn _well_ why we're here."

Veran, for her part, was keeping much cooler and calmer than her partner- though even she could not hide the icy stare behind her fierce, devilish eyes. Her tongue spoke quickly and sharply as she demanded quietly, yet firmly, "Have you killed the meddling heroes, yet?"

"...If I had, would I even still _be_ here?" Shadow answered with a wry, sneering smirk, turning to look towards them both with distrustful, narrowed eyes. Supposedly, they knew him and his past, the him before his memories were taken from him- his words were issued as much a challenge as a dare. Would they truly be able to respond honestly? Could he even trust them to answer? And yet, he knew they didn't need to, nor was he expecting them to- his answer, plain and simple, was all they needed.

"_Cretin_!" Onox snarled in immediately response, his knuckle-studded fingers clenching in fury as he began to rage at the child. "Incompetent shadow! You have quite possibly the simplest job of us all, to kill four little children, and you-"

"Shove it, _gramps_," Shadow suddenly snapped back, turning towards the two with his eyes narrowed in returned anger. Though he was truly infuriated at both of them, as he knew they were with him... something else was forming in his thoughts. A plan, or maybe perhaps a test... But, going along with his guts either way, he instead smirked, continuing in his dare to test the patience of his 'friends'. Pushing his hands on the stone beneath him, he spun around and quickly and easily hopped down off the windowsill, standing confidently in front of them.

"I said I haven't _yet_. But they're being worn down. And I've already prepared a little _surprise_ for them in their next destination. So quit your worrying, shut your trap and go back to your happy little _throne_, 'Your Highness'," Shadow sneered, glaring unafraid back at the intimidating stature of the massive, towering Knight in sharp, golden armor.

Silence stretched on between the three reluctant allies, the massive Knight glaring in trembling fury at the younger child of Shadow, the child responding back with a calm, smug smirk of his own, and the sorceress, standing quietly among the two.

Finally, the silence- yet not the tension- was broken, as Veran looked down upon the child, her eyes narrowing as she hissed, "You know your job, Shadow. We've done ours- the castle and kingdom are taken. There is no other resistance than those four children- you _will_ get rid of them."

Though he had stared back at the Knight, bold and unafraid, Shadow couldn't help but set his faltering, slightly disgruntled gaze over at the witch. For all her silence and calm exterior, he knew- she could be just as deadly, if not more so, than the Knight who stood before him. He would dare not refuse her- after all, he knew, just as well as Onox did, of her terrifying, horror-wreaking powers.

Snorting in his grudge, Shadow crossed his arms as he looked over to Veran, then back at Onox. "I've already told you," he snapped irritably, "I've already set a trap for them at their next destination. They won't get far," he huffed. Glaring at each of them, he balled his hands into fists as he snarled, bold and unafraid at them both, "Now get the _hell_ out of my room so I can rest and regain my powers for my next attack."

Silence once again.

And yet, through it, the small boy refused to back down, instead staring boldly and confidently at them both. If he was going to be their assassin, well, then, he would work his way- and without the interference of the others.

The seconds stretched on- until, finally, breaking the tension, Onox rumbled deep in his throat, the rage building in him.

"...Why, you _little_-!-!" the words burst forth from him like a growl rising into a roar, and the Knight took a massive, thundering step forward-

And yet, stopping before he had a chance to advance more than a step on the child, came Veran's hand, rising calmly and held in front of the Knight's armored chest. Onox's masked, infuriated glare went down towards the outstretched hand- then back towards Shadow. Growling through gritted teeth, the Knight, calming down, took a step backwards, though keeping his glare at the other.

Without another word, snorting in fury, Onox whirled around, stomping furiously out of the room. Shadow's glare returned to Veran- and the cool, calm Sorceress spoke once more, her words biter poison which hung over the air like a toxic cloud.

"... We'll be watching, Shadow."

"Then don't blink, or you'll miss the part where I kicked their asses," Shadow snapped back in a wry, confident sneer.

Turning around, ignoring the arrogant remark of the child, the Sorceress followed the path of the one who had already left, walking silently through the door and disappearing into the depths of the castle once again.

And all too quickly, Shadow was once again left alone in the tower.

Hm... He had much to think on. Glancing idly back towards the window, the shadow turned and leaned his arms on the stone, looking back out across the gardens and the hills once more.

First... The Sorceress and Knight themselves. If they were supposedly such good partners of his, like they had initially claimed... Why the violent, harsh tension between them? And even then, Shadow would admit it to himself- he'd acted like an ass to them. He'd been brash, rude, snide, and scornful- hardly any qualities _he'd_ choose for an important, assassination mission. And yet, through all his attitude and back-talk... Here he remained, part of the 'team'. He could see it in their eyes- they hated him. Whatever partnership they may have had before his amnesia... even that must have been shaky, for when he stared back at them, all he could see in their returned glares was a burning, pure hatred.

So, here he was, having failed twice to kill the heroes, snapping back at his superiors, and carrying with him a pre-disposed hatred they had for him... And yet, once again- here he was. The question then, was: _why_? Why had Veran stopped Onox from destroying the insubordinate shadow? And, perhaps more importantly, why had Onox even _complied_? Shadow knew the Knight was not a pushover or one to be easily swayed- so he knew, the Knight must've had reasons of his own not to kill the impudent, insignificant child.

Why was he so important to them that, despite all of his vices, he was still granted his mission, and his place among them in their rule?

Sighing, Shadow shook his head, lowering his arms off the rock yet keeping his gaze fixated across the hills. It was certainly a question, and one he couldn't easily shake... But it was not the only thing on his mind.

... As he'd said, he'd indeed set a trap for the heroes. He knew just where they would be headed next- and, with a sneer, he placed a hand back on the stone of the windowsill, easily jumping upwards and vaulting himself back onto its cool, rough surface. Still kneeling on the stone, he grinned, his hungry eyes looking out across the horizon.

After all... he still had a job to do. And as the four children slowly walked into the perfectly-executed, well-spun trap...

The boy laughed. His eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed, preparing to push himself off the stone ledge and leap downwards, ready to race towards his next challenge.

And when the moment would come, that the trap would finally slam shut, trapping the four 'heroes' in its grip...

Shadow grinned.

He wouldn't miss that for the _world_.

* * *

><p><strong>All on three, ready now, 1, 2, 3- <em>Poor Shadow! ): <em>**

**But what's this "trap" he keeps talking about?**

**Are the Links about to walk head-first into another ambush, set by Shadow and the others?**

**Those answers will just have to wait 'til tomorrow's installment, Chapter Seventeen: _Doubt_!**

**(P.S. Can you spot the SMBZ reference? ;3)**


	17. Doubt

**One element down, three to go!**

**Onwards!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen:<strong> Doubt

* * *

><p>Crashing through the brush and leaping over fallen logs and leaves, the sounds of four sets of feet racing through the forest echoed off the numerous trees around them and bounced upwards into the sky. Their chests heaving and their eyes focused both above them at the form passing between the clouds, the four heroes continued running as fast as they could through the clustered, crowded trees of the forest, keeping together in a close bunch as they followed their guide.<p>

Finally, for what had seemed like hours, the boys finally saw the shadow of the bird's wings on the ground slow down, and, slowing down themselves, each of them looked forward to the line of trees and bushes in front of them. The owl's shadow passed through the line of hedges and plants- and, stopping once to look at each other, the four Links exchanged a nod before turning and passing through the line of shrubbery, stepping over to the other side.

A bright light met them on the other side, and the boys each found themselves blinking as they tried to adjust to the brighter sun exposure, glistening down upon them in the wide clearing.

With a fluttering of wings, catching the attention of all four boys, the great owl which had led them through the woods slowly descended, landing on a nearby branch of a tree which stood beside the heroes.

"Very good," Kaepora hooted, ruffling its feathers. "I am glad to see you all managed to follow me through the woods."

Still lightly panting from the exertion, but each beginning to recover, the boys set their sights on the owl.

"Heh... what do you take us for, bird-brain?" Blue shot back with a wild grin. "We're _heroes_, right? Of course we could follow!"

"Though I am curious," Vio added with a small nod, his composure regained, "The path you took here... Almost seemed to be some sort of code." He glanced once towards the others, "I'll bet anything we would not have made it through these woods without Kaepora's guidance."

Grinning, Red ran up to the middle of them, nodding in agreement to his friend's words. "And now that we all stick together, we didn't have to worry about leaving anyone behind!" he chirped up, excited.

Smiling over at Red, having joined the others in their semi-circle, Green nodded to them all, crossing his arms comfortably and adding, "No more splitting up if we can help it, Red." Nodding, he then looked over at the owl, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Though I would like to know where "here" is, exactly."

"_Hoot_! See for yourselves," Kaepora responded, leaping instantly off its perch and flying outwards, into the center of the clearing.

The four eyes of the heroes followed the bird's flight- but almost instantly, their attention was directed away from the form of the large owl- and instead set instantly upon the object centered right in the middle of the massive clearing, hidden in the depths of the strange, secret forest.

Standing in front of the four heroes, looming tall over them and yet also disguised by the woods which encircled of it, stood a massive and regal-looking temple. It was built with heavy stones, and its thick archways were decorated in ivy and vines. A single, massive entryway stood at its front- but other than that, the Earth Temple remained a firm, sturdy stronghold, standing tall and proud amongst the oaks which bordered it on all sides.

The children were lost in their amazement for a moment- but as Kaepora settled back down on his branch, his surprising tone of voice instantly drew them away.

"... It's just as I feared," the owl hooted quietly and sullenly, its voice serious and even morose.

Green's eyebrows jumped in in surprise as he turned towards the owl, the others still staring at the temple. "What's wrong?" he asked, slightly worried- already sensing the seriousness of the owl's words, and feeling something sink in the bottom of his stomach. What could Kaepora have possibly seen up in the air that would make him sound so worried...?

The others, also sensing Green's worry, turned to face the owl, with confusion written on their faces. Looking from one boy to the next, Kaepora finally sighed, hooting again as he shook his head.

"... Look over this way," Kaepora answered simply, lifting his wings and flying off to the side of the clearing, landing at another tree nearby- though one near the corner of the clearing. Though the Links looked strangely at each other, each turned and followed after the owl, turning once they were there to look in the owl's direction.

And, from their new point of view, looking past the front of the temple and towards its back- each of their eyes widened in shock.

Woods indeed bordered all sides of the temple- but, creeping along the back of the massive building, lay a massive wave of sand. The golden-bronze particles of dust and dirt were still as they lay against the temple in a massive heap- but every so often, just barely catching the sight, the sand would move in one, massive motion- shifting, ever so slowly, closer towards the temple. The sands had flowed in from the woods behind, and the Links could see its trail flowing through the woods, aimed directly for the temple. And as the sand slowly and surely crept closer upon the temple... building higher and higher on its side... Each of the heroes began to realize just what this meant.

"At this rate... it won't be long until the temple is..." Green gasped.

"Buried," Vio finished flatly, sighing and shaking his head.

"But... isn't the desert far away? How could this have happened?" Red whined, worried.

"What the hell can make the sand move like that?" Blue snapped, his fury rising as he began to understand the gravity of the situation.

"I am afraid Veran and Onox are aware of your mission- and are doing everything they can to prevent you four from retrieving the elements," Kaepora hooted with a sigh and a shake of his head.

"We can't much get the element if it's buried under tons and tons of sand," Vio muttered angrily, shaking his head.

"Exactly," Green added with a nod. He understood, then- the volcano's eruptions, though plausibly explainable as just being nature's forces, were also caused by whatever magic their enemies were trying to utilize, in order to prevent the heroes from getting the elements. And now, they were commanding the very sands themselves to bury the temple before they could get the element inside...

Instantly, Green looked up with fierce eyes at the owl. "How much time do we have?" he demanded instantly.

The owl was quiet for a moment- until he answered, "I cannot be sure. But if you have any time at all..."

"... We'd better leave now, then," Blue answered firmly with a nod, directing his fierce gaze back to the others.

"We don't have much time left," Vio added with a grim smile.

"Alright! Let's go!" Red added with a cheer, brightening up and jumping upwards in enthusiasm. The others, with a quick nod, turned and began to run towards the entrance. And though Red followed them- his eyes instantly widened, and he turned around, facing the owl and grinning, "Oh, Kaepora! Kaepora! By the way, I got my memories back!"

Slowing down, the others looked over their shoulder as Red talked to the owl. Kaepora hooted quietly in surprise, pausing once before responding, "Interesting... I suppose the elements are slowly breaking the curse. You must hurry to the bottom of the Earth Temple! Only there will you find the Earth Element!"

Grinning and nodding back in response, Red called out after the owl again, then turned and ran back ahead to join his friends. Finally, as the four approached the entrance to the temple, each stopped and stood for a moment, staring at the magnificent arch- and the delicate, yet also strong symbol of a round earth cemented in its center.

Standing among them, Red still grinned from calling out to the owl-

And, with a huff and a pout, Blue grumbled, "Y'know, you don't have to rub it in."

The Links laughed at Blue's teasing jealousy, however, Red only brightened up even happier, laughing as he chirped out, "Oh my gosh, guys, I can't WAIT until you guys remember everything too! It'll be just like old times, especially like when we went through the desert that one time, and..."

And as Red continued to babble on, the others all shook their heads, smiling, and walked into the darkness of the Earth Temple, leaving the woods far behind them.

* * *

><p>"...Oh! And then, after we got through the mountain, there was this one time that we-"<p>

"Red! _Enough_, already!" Green shouted back, laughing and shaking his head as he looked, with mild humor, from Blue to Vio- both of whom had their palms firmly plastered over their ears, looks of pain etched on their faces.

Red's overeager grin faltered slightly as he hung behind the others. "Aw... but I have so many more stories to tell you guys!" he whined with a laugh.

"At this rate, when we gain our memories back, we won't have learned anything Red hasn't already told us," Vio spoke dryly with a shake of his head- though even he couldn't help a small smile creeping across his face. Looking upwards, he once more scanned the interior of the temple as they continued to walk through it.

So far, it had merely been a series of narrow tunnels and passageways, with the sides of the stone walls dotted with torches and intricate, carved designs in the surface of the stone. It was plain to all of them that the temple had once been a place of worship- but was now long since abandoned, and only served as a hollow catacombs, full of twisting and wandering passageways- only intending for intruders to become lost in its labyrinths.

However, with the Links working together, and with Red's enthusiasm, their determination had not yet been quenched- and, even with the knowledge of their hourglass slowly running out in the back of their mind, they continued on with high spirits.

"Seriously, Red," Blue said, agreeing with a laugh and a shake of his head as he lowered his arms and instead crossed them over his chest, "Can't you talk about something _else_, for a change?"

"Hm... Well... OH! I can't believe I completely forgot this!" Red suddenly cheered, brightening up as he jumped forward. The others, sighing and smiling, once more shook their heads and looked forward in amusement, as if awaiting for Red to ramble on and on once again.

"No, no, this time, I mean it!" Red added with a laugh, breaking past them and looking at each of them in turn, until each had returned his glance. When they did, he grinned and nodded, saying, "I still haven't told you all about our roles!"

Green paused, lifting an eyebrow. "Roles?" he asked curiously, frowning. He knew they were supposed to have been a team, and all, but... this was news to him. Though he did faintly remember Red mentioning something like that earlier...

"I think I understand," Vio commented dryly, with a small, sly smile.

"Oh? Well, Einstein?" Blue teased, punching Vio's shoulder lightly- though the other frowned and rubbed his shoulder reluctantly- laughing as he said, "If you're so smart, then tell us, already!"

"See? That's what I mean," Red added with a laugh, nodding to Blue and Vio. "We kinda each have our own roles that we play in our team. Y'know, things we're all good at and we use to help each other. Like, Vio's the smart one, and Blue's the strong one!"

"That makes sense," Vio said with an idle nod, pointing ahead and commenting briefly, "I've been the most level-headed and decisive one thus far. I suppose it only follows that I should assume that specific role in the team."

"The _strong_ one? Hell, I like that!" Blue roared with laughter, grinning widely and- to no one's surprise- bringing out his sword from behind him, slashing the air eagerly. Crossing his arms confidently, he then said with a flashed grin, "Sounds good to me!"

Nodding, Red continued, grinning at the others as they continued to walk along the passageways, "Yup! And Green's the leader, and I'm the glue that keeps everyone together!" He laughed as he jumped up and down, "I make sure everyone stays together and is happy and-"

"... Wait, what'd you say?"

Pausing for a moment, Red turned curiously to look over who had spoken.

From the front of the group, Green had turned around and looked curiously over at Red, though frowning in slight confusion. "I'm... the leader?" Green asked once more, blinking once in surprise. The others had stopped walking, and now stood in a small group in the passageway, looking between Red and Green.

Unfazed, Red nodded excitedly, continuing, "Yeah! You're the best leader anyone could ask for, Green!" Laughing, he jumped up and hugged Green's arm, nodding toward the others, "Green's gotten us out of so many troubles before, I wish you guys could remember, especially this one time, it was so awesome! He-"

"Woah, woah, hold up, I'm not so sure about that," Green butted in, shaking his head and taking a step back, stepping out of Red's hug and looking at him with a confused, sort of resistant look. Nervously, he looked back at Blue and Vio, shaking his head and saying, "I mean, I can totally see Blue being the strong one and Vio the smart one- and, well, we all know what you can do, Red," he added with a small smile- but then frowned and said, "But me, a leader? Are you sure...?"

Exchanging glances, Blue and Vio shrugged and looked back at Green.

"Well, if Red says so, and he remembers, I would think it to be true," Vio pointed out. "You've also had natural tendencies to lead us so far, if I recall correctly," he added with a small smirk. "Even when we first met in the prison."

Green blinked in confusion. "... I have?" He frowned. Strange... he'd never noticed anything like that before. He'd merely been going along with the others the whole time... He never thought he'd actually been trying to subconsciously lead them. Green looked nervously at the other two boys... _I don't remember ever once 'leading' them anywhere,_ he thought with a worried frown, _And even though I know I have, they don't remember either..._

And yet, to Green's surprise, Blue grinned. "Sure!" he added with a laugh, stepping forward and slinging an arm over the other's shoulder. "Heck, in the mountain, you were always taking the lead and trying to keep us from tearing each other's throats out. I guess it makes sense, huh?" Stepping back, he slugged Green's shoulder and grinned again. "So come on, 'Mr. Leader'. Lead us."

The others were now staring at Green, smiling expectantly and waiting for the Link to take the lead. And even though he had been doing so before, without hardly even realizing it, now the pressure was on, and the others were expecting him to take the lead...

"I, uh... well, alright, then," Green answered with a weak smile, the others brightening up and nodding in response. Slowly, Green turned around and once again began to walk through the tunnel- yet now, with the weight and the knowledge, the responsibility, of leading the others through the depths of the tunnel.

_...What am I doing?_

_I don't know anything about being a leader!_

_...Well, yeah, technically, I do, but... That doesn't mean I remember how to! I don't remember ever leading them, so what the heck am I supposed to do?_

His thoughts and worries ran through his mind as he continued down the passageway- with Red's rambling, Blue's groaning and Vio's quiet laughter all but droned out to him. And while he was nervous with the idea of leading them, he was even more frustrated with the fact that it worried him. If he was supposed to be their leader... why was he so unsure about it? Why did the very idea of leading the others terrify him? He wouldn't deny what they'd said earlier- they were right, after all. Remembering all of their adventures up until then, he had taken almost a leadership-type role over the others.

From when he directed them through the fight against the Stalfos King...

To keeping Blue and Vio from practically killing each other on the way to Death Mountain...

And in the depths of the volcano itself, leading the way as they walked through the tunnels without hardly even realizing it.

From up until this moment, even the others had yielded to Green's words when a decision had to be made, without hardly any argument at all- almost as if they each subconsciously knew to listen to their leader, even if they couldn't consciously remember why.

But if he was supposed to be this 'great and fearless leader'... why did the knowledge of this new role make him so uneasy, so unsure of himself? He could easily see the roles of the others fitting them- Blue, headstrong, taking on their enemies without fear... Vio, calm and calculating, planning out strategies and cleverly finding the answers... And Red, the smallest one of them yet with the largest heart, keeping their spirits light as they went through their hardest troubles... but him, Green, their leader? As far as he could remember, he hadn't done anything thus far to warrant such a title...

He sighed once more to himself, his thoughts continuously taunting him and his fears dancing before his eyes. If only he could remember... if he had those memories to look back on, how he'd led the others before, or the decisions he's made... maybe he'd feel more confident in himself. But as he was now...

Once more, the three behind him were engulfed in conversation, Vio laughing quietly under his breath as Red talked their ears off, Blue trying to hide from Red and plug his ears against the seemingly never-ending string of words and stories. Neither of them had so much as bat an eye at Green's assumption of the role of leadership- instead trusting him completely with the choice of which paths to take in the dungeon, content to follow behind him and accept whatever decision he'd make.

And yet... what if he ended up making the wrong decision? Green's despondent eyes trailed down to the ground, rather than look carefully ahead. Sighing, he couldn't help the multiple questions from beating down his mind and dancing around mockingly in his thoughts.

What if he took the wrong path?

What if Red was wrong, and he wasn't really a leader?

What if he ended up letting everyone down? ... What would they think of him, then?

What if-

Suddenly, all those thoughts vanished from his mind- however, they were more so forcibly jerked out of his thoughts, as instead his eyes widened and his mouth opened to scream- for, beneath his feet, the ground had all at once disappeared, and Green suddenly found himself falling downwards, downwards-

"_GREEN_!"

With a gasp and a start, eyes wide, Green suddenly felt the ground slam hard against his body, and he grunted in pain, rolling over once on his side and wincing in agony. Everything... everything had happened so fast... Wearily blinking his eyes open, Green shook his head and pushed himself back up, shakily staggering once or twice until he was able to regain his footing.

"Green! Green! Are you okay?-!"

"What happened?-!"

"Green fell through a trap-door!"

"The hell?-! Green! Hey, answer us!"

Groaning and rubbing the side of his temple, Green blinked a few times as he could groggily hear the others calling out for him, their voices echoing above him. His eyes adjusting to the dimmer light of the small, narrow cave he'd fallen into, and cursing his own stupidity, Green looked around a few times, to get a grip on his surroundings.

_... Ugh, crap... I fell into a damned hole. Wait! The others!_

Looking up, Green squinted against a faint, glowing circle of light above him- and three faces, though slightly blurry from a distance, peeking through the circle and looking down at him.

"I'm alright, guys! I'm alright," Green called up to the others through the trap he'd fallen into.

"Can you climb back up?" Green faintly heard Vio calling down to him. Looking around at the stone walls, and the moist, slick moss which lined them, Green attempted to find a hold on the stones- but, after multiple attempts led him to simply slipping back down, he sighed and shook his head.

"No, the wall's lined with moss, it's too slippery!"

He could faintly hear Blue swearing, Red whimpering, and Vio muttering to himself as the three decided what they were going to do.

And yet, hardly a few seconds passed at all when Green heard-

"...Alright, then, we're coming down after you!"

Green blinked.

"Wait... _WHAT_?-!"

"GERONIMOOOOO!-!"

Blue's voice suddenly grew louder and louder as he shouted out- but not because his volume was increasing, Green noted with widened eyes. Crying out, Green instantly rolled to the side- and was just in time jumping out of the way, as seconds after he'd moved, came Blue's crashing, shouting form. Instantly, Blue had rolled when he hit the ground- and, trying to stand up on his own momentum, ended up running nearly straight into the wall and falling back on the floor.

"Wheeeeee!-!-!"

Green's eyes stayed wide- for not hardly a second after Blue had landed, came Red crashing down- and yet, Green winced as he saw the other fall right on top of Blue, landing in a crash heap on the side. Blue, roaring in fury and flinging all sorts of curses from underneath Red, grunted and tried to shove the other Link off, who was nearly crying over himself in apologies.

And lastly, leaping downwards from side to side off the slippery walls of the narrow hole in the ground came Vio, his eyes calmed and focused as he descended easily and painlessly down to the bottom of the hole. Landing nimbly by the heap that was Red and Blue, he sighed and shook his head, prying Red off of Blue and dusting the dirt off his tunic.

Finally, venturing back into the center of the cave, Green shook his head incredulously as the others finally gathered back together. "You guys didn't have to come down after me," Green said with a sigh, smiling despite himself, looking at Vio and Red, then back to Blue- and moving over to him, helping his friend up with an outstretched hand. "It was my fault for falling in the first place."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Blue responded after being helped up, grinning. "We're a team, so we stick together, right?"

"Right!" Red piped up with a wide smile.

Smiling, Vio nodded, crossing his arms and stating simply, "Right path or wrong path, we're staying together." However, before Green could even respond, he gave a sly grin and uncrossed his arms, pointing behind Green- "Besides, I do believe I see a tunnel behind you."

"Guess we'll just be taking a different path than we thought, eh, 'leader'?" Blue teased with a grin.

Smiling weakly back, Green nodded, looking at the others once more. Though he was mentally kicking himself over and over for falling down a hole in the first place... as long as the others were behind him, he told himself with a weak smile, he shouldn't have to worry about leading. "Alright then," he said with a laugh, turning towards the tunnel leading out of the cave which Vio had mentioned, "let's get out of this place."

With the others cheering behind him, Green gave them all a grin and nod, turning to face the tunnel and walking through it, the others following him from close behind. He felt slightly better about things- at least he knew, even if he screwed up once or twice, the others would forgive him. With this comforting thought in mind, and the returning sounds of the others laughing and talking behind him, Green continued on, walking unafraid through the dark passage.

And yet, as the darkness grew and grew and eventually swallowed them, the laughter and talking quieted down until it was completely silent- the four Links quiet, sticking close together in the pitch-black passageway. Each of them were unnerved by the seemingly endless tunnel, and the blackness which had engulfed them entirely, leaving little to no light to see by.

Finally, a light glowed back at them at the end of the tunnel- small, and dim, but still a light. Overjoyed, the heroes, once more feeling their spirits rise, ran together as a group, cheering and heading for the end of the passageway.

Yet, as they finally spilled into the next, wide open rooms- their eyes widened, their hearts froze, and their cheers stopped in an instant, as they all stared at what awaited them in the bright, torch-lit room.

Staring at them through dozens and dozens of sets of eyes, a small hoard of monsters- similar to the pig-guards, only smaller- were crowded together in the center of the room. And in the center of the crowd, stood a massive, armored pig- larger than any of the guards they had seen before. The word moblin etched itself in the terrified Links' mind- but none of them had any more time to think on it before the silent, still room burst out in noise and motion.

Roaring in fury, the dozens of mini-moblins, and the giant armored moblin in the center, instantly raised their axes and raced towards the four surrounded, horribly outnumbered heroes.

Each reacting in an instant to the attacks, the four Links shouted out as they rolled off to the side, swinging their shields up and dodging attacks as they desperately tried to get a hold of the situation.

"Green! What do we do?-!" Blue roared as he felt himself being backed up into a corner of the room, surrounded on all sides and attacked all at once by dozens of swinging axes and swords.

"We're outnumbered!" Vio shouted, sweat beading down his forehead as he, too, was slowly being overwhelmed by the ambush, his eyes darting from side to side as he desperately analyzed their near-hopeless situation.

"Guys, look out!" Red cried, running off to the side as the larger moblin from the center ran to attack one of the others. Swinging his blade, he caught the moblin off-guard, sending it tripping to the ground- but as he, too, was backed up against the wall, eyes wide, he knew this distraction was only temporary.

Green's mind was racing, his eyes darting from side to side as he was backed up against the wall. He'd... he'd led them all to this, this trap, they were right, they had been caught by surprise, outnumbered, hopelessly outmatched... Already, he could hear the others cry out as they were being overwhelmed and cornered... What were they to do?

Instantly, his eyes eyes spotted a lone archway at the end of the room.

His heart caught in his throat.

"...Run... Everybody, _run_!" Green roared, dodging an attack and swinging his sword out in front of him, clearing a small path to the exit.

The eyes of his friends were suddenly wide and set on Green in surprise. They could hardly believe what their commander was saying- but, as they each saw Green make for the exit, stopping to fight and looking back to make sure they were following, each of them grit their teeth and continued fighting, though making a path to their leader.

And when they all finally reached the archway, ushering them out and into the exit, Green looked quickly over his shoulder- with wide eyes- at the mass of moblins, and their commander, as they quickly pursued them. Once more a lump formed in his chest- and, fear gripping him, shouted one more time as he whirled around, running after the others down the dark, unknown passage, with the moblins chasing after them.

"Keep running! Don't look back!" Green urged them on, running behind them and looking over his shoulder, wide-eyed in fear, at the still-following group of monsters. And as they closed in on them, closer and closer...

Gritting his teeth and squinting his eyes, Green forced himself to look forward, putting on an extra burst of speed and shouting once more to the others as they all ran for their lives through the pitch-black tunnel.

_"RUN!-!-!-!"_

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><p><strong>Our heroes have found the resting place of the next element, the Earth Temple- but have they finally bitten off more than they can chew?<strong>

**The chase continues in tomorrow's dramatic chapter, Chapter Eighteen: _Loss_!**


	18. Loss

**We rejoin our heroes as they're... well... running for their lives through the depths of the Earth Temple!**

**Horribly outnumbered and outmatched, what will become of our heroes?**

**Read ahead to find out! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen:<strong> Loss

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><p>Sweat ran down Green's forehead as his heart raced in his chest, all his senses pounding at him as he raced as fast as he could through the narrow, dark corridor. The others were still running in front of him, and if it weren't for the light from the torches of their advancing enemies behind him, he would never have been able to be sure they were still there. The roars and screams of the moblins which chased after them, horribly outnumbering the four small children, drowned out all the noise in the passageway, even so Green could hardly hear the sound of his own breathing, or his frantic footsteps as he ran through the tunnel.<p>

And finally, a voice-

"Guys! We're coming up to a room ahead! Get ready!"

Green's eyes snapped open, still running, as he strained to hear the words of his friend in front of him. He could faintly make it out as Vio- the one who must have been in the lead, calling out to Green and the others. What was Vio planning? Was he hoping that, once in the room, they could turn around and use the open room to their advantage and end the fight?

However, he had little time left to ponder this, as the entrance came all too soon, and, putting on an extra burst of speed, Green finally ran up and through the light, slowing down instantly as he entered the room along with the others. It was a small, empty room with a dead end- save for one heavy door on the other side, and a rusted lever beside it. Already, the others had turned around to face the tunnel, whipping out their swords and shields and preparing to fight once again.

And yet... Green's eyes looked over to the heavy door on the other side of the room. If they could get through it, they'd put more ground between them and the enemies- possibly being able to escape them. His worried eyes trailed back to the others, as they stood ready by the passageway's exit, waiting for the moblins to reach the end and face them head-on. It was a good strategy, using the narrow entrance to their advantage by surrounding it... They stood a small chance of winning, if they managed to attack the moblins as they came out, one by one.

Only... They, like he, were dripping with sweat, and their muscles twitched with exhaustion... Though they were ready and willing, he thought with dread, was he sure they would be able to survive the fight, so worn out and outnumbered?

... What was he supposed to do?-!

Finally, noticing Green's absence, Blue blinked and looked over his shoulder. "Hey, Green, you alright?" he shouted, and the others turned to look toward their leader. Though they still stood in battle-ready poses, each looked at Green, as if waiting to hear exactly what he had to say before they fought.

Green grit his teeth, his brow furrowing in frustration. The time they had left in the sinking temple... the overwhelming odds fast approaching them... and their own exhaustion... he _had_ to make a decision. Which was more important? Going with his guts and risking their lives on an unsure fight? ...Or ignoring those and taking the safer, more sure way out?

Finally, shaking his head firmly, Green turned and ran towards the door, gripping firmly the lever and shouting, "Guys, through this door!"

The others stared back at Green, blinking in light surprise. They looked once more at each other, confused at the other's decision. Green prepared to open his mouth once more, to try and convince them of his decision-

But, exchanging quick nods, the others quickly turned and ran up to Green, following his words.

"...I don't know what you're planning, Green," Blue said with a sigh and a shake of his head, looking over his shoulder worriedly at the tunnel behind them...

"But I hope you know what you're doing," Vio finished gravely, looking back at the other with his hands on the door's lever.

_...Yeah, me too..._

Gritting his teeth and ignoring his thoughts of doubt, Green turned around quickly, the growing sounds of the approaching hoard of moblins beating down on him, and jerked his arm back, his grip held tightly across the rusted lever. With a resistant squeal, the switch swung in his grasp- and, upon command, the large door in front of them slid open. Without another hesitation, all four Links piled in to the large room, quickly looking around them to see what they would find next-

And as he and the others looked across the small, empty and dead-end room, Green's eyes widened and his throat choked up.

...He'd chosen wrong.

Screeching in agony and hate, the moblins finally reached the entrance of the passageway, piling out one-by-one through the narrow tunnel and bursting through the room. The Links had not a second more to look at their new surroundings, instead whirling around in response to the sudden noise. In that instant, Green knew- he'd made a terrible mistake. He'd hoped the room would lead them someplace far away from the enemies and allow them to rest or find a new path- but instead, he'd thrown away the others' golden opportunity and advantage, lying in wait by the narrow passageway, all for folly. Now, they had no choice left- instead, the heroes found themselves, eyes wide and swords and shields out, backing slowly against the wall of the small room, the moblins already racing towards the open door of the room.

"...We'll fight 'em off," Blue finally spoke, gritting his teeth, his eyes narrowed into slits as he took a step forward. Darting his gaze to the others, he nodded to Vio and Red, speaking each in turn, "Vio, you and Red attack from the side of the door, Green and I will hit them head-on." The others nodded in agreement- and as Green noticed Blue's gaze hit him, he blinked, his eyes wide in guilt and worry. However- Blue wasted not a second more returning the gaze, and instead once more set his jaw firm, wielding his sword in both hands and taking a step forward, towards the approaching moblins.

And all at once... they were upon them.

Leaping through the wide door's open entryway, the hoard of smaller moblins burst through the room, screaming and shouting as they swung around their axes and swords in their wild, uncoordinated attacks. Using the messiness of their attacks to their advantage, the Links had instantly begun to charge forward, carefully evading blows, side-stepping and swinging back with more careful, pinpointed slices of their own. However, with each moblin that fell, the Links found themselves crying out as they were pushed backwards by tens more, continuing to flood through the door and crowd the small room.

And towering above them all... lumbering slowly with massive, intimidating steps, approached the massive, armored moblin commander. Though it hardly managed to squeeze in through the wide doorway, angling its head so that its wide, longhorn-like horns could fit through the passageway- it eventually made its way through, grinning maliciously as it waded through the smaller moblins, towards the heroes.

Grouping together, the Links eventually formed a small circle as they fought off the moblins, the sounds of swords slicing and metal axes shearing against the fronts of their shields near-deafening to the heroes. However, even the moblins themselves, some falling and some dodging, began to fall back, cackling and sneering and chattering as they all made way for their leader to make his way to the heroes.

Looking up, eyes wide in horror, the Links set their sight upon the massive moblin, as it returned their gaze with a narrowed, reddened and hateful sight of his own, slowly raising its axe high above it as its underlings chattered and danced around him-

And all of a sudden, everything stopped- silenced by one, massive sound.

Still holding his axe high in the air, even the giant moblin leader himself had frozen, its eyes wide as the explosion-like sound blasted through the room, echoing faintly off the walls of the small room. And all at once, the moblin and its smaller minions whirled around, their eyes wide as they looked behind them- and as they looked on in fear, so the Links themselves also looked in horror at what had caused the sound.

The rusted lever on the far side of the door holding the passageway open had finally snapped and given way- and, with nothing to stop it, the massive, heavy concrete door had slid shut, slamming against the rock walls firmly and effectively sealing the Links- and the moblins- inside.

... They were trapped.

And they were trapped in the room with the mass amount of moblins, and the giant moblin himself...

... And yet, as the Links looked on in horror, another sound soon caught their attention- turning their terrible situation into an even more terrifying nightmare.

A soft, yet strong hissing sound had suddenly began to enter through the room- and, following the source of the sound, all of the rooms' inhabitants suddenly looked up at the sides of the walls, where the stone wall met the roof. High on the walls, through perfect square holes scattered around the room... mountains and mountains of sand were beginning to pour through, pumped by an unseen force into the room, where the hissing, sliding sand fell against the ground, piling up and up on top of each grain which fell into the room... Until slowly, it was beginning to grow and cover the floor.

The trapped room, filled with four heroes and the hoard of moblins, was slowly but surely filling up with sand.

"How... how the hell do we stop this?-!" Blue roared in fury and frustration, taking the split-second opportunity of stunned silence to leap forward, slicing away at a small group of moblins standing in front of him. The creatures fell back, and instantly the battle resumed once more, the smaller moblins leaping forward and swinging with axes and blades at the heroes. However, as the Links continued to fend them off, their eyes wide and panicked as they scanned the areas of sand which were pouring into the room, the leader of the moblins had instead turned around and ran towards the door, bellowing and beating on the stone as if desperately trying to get the door open again.

Green swallowed a lump in his throat as he backed up, blocking an enemy's attack with his shield and then lunging forward with a stab of his own. With the room shut, ironically, it helped stem the flow of the seemingly never-ending moblins- however...

"Green, we _need_ to find a way out of here!" Vio shouted intensely, his eyes wide in worry- something Green had not normally seen on their friend- as he also swung his sword forward, catching an off-guard moblin and sending it spiraling to the ground.

"R-right!" Green answered, stuttering at first but quickly shaking his head and regaining his senses. Instantly, he backed up, jerking his gaze out to Red, shouting loudly, "Red! Back off and let Blue and Vio take care of the moblins! You and I need to start looking for an exit, or some way to stop the sand!" As Red gave a quick nod and ran over to him, Green glanced once more to Vio. "Can you hold them off while we look?" he asked urgently.

Grunting as he jumped forward, slicing at a moblin- yet swinging his shield up to quickly evade a blow, Vio looked over his shoulder at Green, his eyes quietly narrowed in determination and frustration. And in that single second, where the two looked at each other- Green knew, and could feel Vio's reluctance and anger at him- at Green's decision which had trapped them in there. "... I'll give you as much time as I can," Vio finally said, gritting his teeth and turning away from Green, leaping back into the fray.

And though Green's heart was slowly shattering into pieces as he dwelled on the look Vio had given him... He had no more time to think on it as Red suddenly ran up to him, nodding and ready.

"Look... look for anything that looks like a switch, or a lever, or some sort of secret passageway," Green commanded instantly, regaining his thoughts and nodding to the other. With a quick nod in response, Red instantly turned to the side, leaping over fallen moblins and evading hits- though returning none of his own- and frantically searching the walls of the room.

Stumbling over the waves of sand- Green's heart jolted as he noticed the sand had now risen a good six inches above the floor of the room- the Link shook his head once more and followed Red's lead, heading in the opposite direction and dodging enemy hits as he scanned the walls, running his hands over the stone in desperate attempts at finding some sort of hidden lever or activation switch that would get them out of this mess.

The roar of the battle raged on behind him, as Blue and Vio, teaming up next to each other, faced the remaining swarms of moblins, their swords swinging and their shields slamming against the weapons of the enemy. Though they were not overwhelmed nor outnumbered like before, they were each slowly beginning to tire out- and finding themselves forced further and further back against the wall, their feet stumbling over the rising sands as they tried their best to keep their footing in their slowly drowning room.

And yet, the leader of the moblins himself was a much a coward as he was an animal, bellowing and roaring in fury as its heavy fists pounded against the door and the wall, in desperate attempts to open up the gates and keep from drowning in the rising sands. Green knew he could use this to his advantage- and, keeping one eye on the giant moblin, kept the other firmly focused on the wall as he continued running along it, looking carefully for any nook, cranny, hole, or suspicious-looking tile that might be pressed or activated in order to stop the sand.

However, as his hands grew more and more scratched and roughed up, the skin on his fingers nearly being torn to shreds, and still he came up with nothing, Green's heart was beginning to sink as the sand rose, at times stumbling to his knees on the shifting sands, the sounds of the hissing, pouring sand sliding in all around him and the metallic clank of Blue and Vio still fighting off the remaining moblins ricocheting off the close walls of the small room.

"Green! I... I can't find anything!"

His thoughts and worries were confirmed as, with a grim look, Green set his sights over at Red who had called at him from the other side of the room. Red's eyes were wide and near hollow from exhaustion, and his rough, bruised and bleeding hands hung limply at his sides. His search had turned up fruitless, and the sand had now risen so much that by simply standing, their heads were almost hitting the ceiling itself...

What... what in the world was he going to do?

Had he failed them... was this... the _end_?

Green's despondent, despair-filled eyes trailed over to Red, and then to Vio and Blue- who, panting and heaving in their exhaustion, had finally been given some time to relax, slumping against the wall as the thinned crowd of moblins now hung back, joining their leader in its frantic search to find a way out of the small, sinking room- now away from the door, but banging fiercely upon the walls. The Links were all exhausted and worn out, as was he... and slowly, each of their eyes met over at Green's, wide in worry and in sadness.

The breath and the drive gone from him, Green sighed as he leaned backwards against the stone, a hand on his forehead and another against the stone behind him.

"Guys... I..."

_...Click!_

Green's eyes widened, snapping open as he heard a sudden sound behind him, and a release of pressure on his hand against the stone. Whirling around and lifting his hand off the stone, the Link leaned in close... squinting through the falling sand, he could just faintly see the stone tile his hand had pressed against slowly... shifting... moving in response to the unwitting activation.

Instantly, Green turned back around to the others, this time his eyes wide in realization. "H-hey! Everyone! I think I've found it!"

The sand by now had pushed the Links so far close to the ceiling, each of them were now ankle-deep in the sand, their backs hunched over to keep their heads from hitting the stone roof above them. And yet, as each of them heard Green's cry, their eyes widened and brightened up in an instant, looking over to him quickly.

And in an instant, even Green whirled around, eyes wide at a sudden sound which rattled through the room. The hissing sound of sand pouring into the room grew- only it changed as well, instead roaring as it poured out of the slowly-opening door to the side. The heavy, concrete door was jerking and skidding across the ground as the sand poured out of it- slightly slowing the rising sands in the room as a mass of sand began to fall out through the open door- and, soon enough, it had slammed soundly against the other side of the wall.

"EVERYONE! TO THE DOOR! NOW!-!" Green roared loudly, his eyes narrowed in determination- yet his heart also leaping in elation- as he turned to face the door, instantly leaping forward as best he could through the sands. His boots had already sunk entirely beneath the sands, but he grunted and gritted his teeth as he forced himself to trudge through the sands anyways, his sights set on the open door-

And yet, before he'd even made a few inches of headway to the door, the others also swarming to the entrance- Green's breath caught in his chest, and he nearly staggered back in shock and despair. Whatever switch he'd pushed... it was not a permanent effect. After only a few seconds of remaining open, once more jerking around again, the heavy door had slowly began to slide back shut... Already, the flow of the sand out of the room was stemming, the sands rising higher and higher in the room and the room continuing its perpetual, unstoppable sink.

"G-Green! The door!" Red cried out, stumbling over the sand- which had now risen to his waist, and each step in itself was a terrible ordeal as he pulled one leg out of the sands, in an effort to set it down further and pull out the next one- only for the first to once more sink back in the sand, occasionally slipping and sinking deeper into the sands.

"Everyone, _hurry_!" Blue shouted loudly, his eyes narrowed as his breaths came short and choppy, also struggling fiercely through the rising sands. The sand, up to his knees, continued to rise, and, despite his desperate and firm attacks on the sand as he leapt and struggled through it- even he cried out as he fell and slipped, falling to his elbows once or twice before pushing himself back up.

All at once, the four Links were racing as fast as they could to the slowly closing door, their eyes widening by the second as the opening, oppositely, grew smaller and smaller with each passing moment...

Gasping as he nearly swam through the chest-deep sand, Green paused as he reached the door, quickly looking over his shoulder with wide eyes as he looked for the others to join him before taking the exit. And yet, as soon as he looked around, he cried out as he felt a sudden mass hit his chest, stumbling to the ground. Blinking the sand out of his eyes in his blindness, and coughing out the dust that had flown into his throat, the boy, lost in the swirls and the sounds of the hissing sand and stone-grinding door, could only barely see the moblin leader as it tried to race past him towards the door, knocking over Green and the others in its path...

Grunting, Green shouted out once more as he struggled to keep his shoulders above the sand, lifting his head and gasping out for breath above the sand, his eyes still furiously blinking as the sand flew up in them, blinding him and clouding his sight...

The growing, roaring hiss of rising sand...

The slowly closing door and the beam of light from the other room which was slowly fading...

And the sounds and sights of others, struggling to make it through the sands... what was going on?

Once more, the roars of the moblins, shoving and pushing through the sinking sands, flooded over Green's senses- and as the sand finally rose above his eyes, the boy found the sights and sounds before him suddenly silenced and ceased-

In an instant later, Green heard the own sound of his voice screaming as he tumbled backwards, the sand spilling past him and the light suddenly blasting down upon him. Coughing, feeling himself sliding backwards, Green threw his hands out behind him, struggling to gain a grip on something, anything, to keep him from falling. Almost instantly, as he continued to fall back, the sand sliding downwards around him, his palms brushed against a firm, cold surface. Instantly, gasping for breath and struggling through the sliding sands, Green pushed himself up from the surface, stumbling to his feet and blinking the sands out of his eyes as he desperately looked around to see what had happened.

The hissing of the sand had stopped- there was silence, save for the few grains of sand which continued to scatter across the ground from the heap he'd fallen in on. And, as he stood and looked around him, the light shining on him, his eyes instantly widened as he recognized where he was.

It was the room from before- the small room with the narrow passageway, the rusted lever, and the concrete door. The sands no longer poured in- but instead, the heavy door was sealed shut.

Laughing, Green shook his head and grinned, brushing more sands out of his eyes as he shouted, "Guys, we made it! We're out!" Still grinning, lowering his hand, he looked around and behind him, ready and eager to see the incredulous and awed faces of the others. Shaking his head and laughing, Green grinned as he turned to look round him, saying as he did so, "Jeez, that was a close one, wasn't-"

Suddenly, his words fell silent.

Green's heart froze dead in his chest.

Panic rising in him, his wide, terrified eyes whirled around the room in front of him, turning around and looking in all directions.

"... _No_..."

It was all he could bring himself to say, and it was hardly a whisper, choked out through a mouth that was hanging half-open as Green stared in horror at the empty, silent room in front of him.

His frozen heart skipped a beat, and, without wasting another second, Green whirled around, running up to the sealed door- where the pile of sand that had fallen out with him still heaped up against- and instantly leapt in front of it, pounding his fists on the hardened concrete and shouting out as loud as his lungs could cry.

"RED! BLUE! VIO! GUYS! _CAN YOU HEAR ME?-!_"

Pausing in his shouts- holding his breathe and pressing his ear up against the door- Green's eyes went wide as he strained to listen to any sort of response from the other side of the room.

... There was nothing but silence.

_They're... they're gone... no... I... I've **lost** them..._

The shouts of the lone boy instantly returned, growing louder and louder, desperate and more frantic as he continued crying out and pounding against the door- and yet, slowly, as the minutes of returned silence passed, his voice began to fade, chokes and sobs breaking apart his words until they were nothing more than an inarticulate series of cries. The tears burned his eyes and blurred his vision- but he was hardly aware of this, as he instead leaned against the door, resting his forehead sullenly on its surface and sobbing his heart out, in the stillness and the silence of the wide, empty room.

"No... _please_, no..."

His head turning on the surface of the door, Green's tear-streaked eyes looked out sullenly to the side...

... The lever...

... The _lever_!

Green's eyes instantly widened with a start as he took a step back from the door, blinking and looking frantically at the rusted lever in front of him. Without hesitating or waiting a second longer, the boy leapt forward at the lever, landing beside it and firmly grasping its rust-covered handle with both hands.

Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Green shouted out as he struggled against the lever, pulling backwards with all of his might and pushing his feet downwards against the resistance of the lever. And yet... Despite how it had opened so easily the first time around, whatever had happened with the door the second time around- the lever would not budge. Gasping for breath, his eyes blinking in panic, Green's heart- lifted briefly for one moment upon noticing the lever- once more began to sink into the depths of his despair.

"No... no, no, NO, _damnit_! No!" Roaring in his fury, blinding by his tears of sorrow and anger, Green cried out again as he stood back, only to jump forward once more, grabbing the lever with nearly his entire upper body, leaning against it with all of his weight and strength, his feet pushing and walking against the ground beneath him. And yet... though he shouted out and cried against the lever, pushing everything he had against the rusted switch... It did not budge.

Finally, gasping for air, the strength drained from his muscles, Green collapsed by the lever, falling to his knees and only saving himself from falling by catching the ground with his scratched, bleeding palms. His arms were shaking as they held him up- the rust solidified on the surface of the lever had cemented it in its unmovable position, and all his energy had spent on trying to make it budge. And yet, as his arms shook, the tears running down his cheeks and splashing onto the cold stone below... his world around him collapsed, and the young boy fell to the ground in a heap, sobbing his despair out to the wide, empty room- with one, last thought haunting him in the darkness of his sorrow.

_What... what have I **done**...?_

_I... I've failed..._

_...I've failed them all..._

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><p><strong>...Can this really be the end? Has Green evaded the deadly sands of the trapped room... only for the others to still be left behind?<strong>

**Keep reading for tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Nineteen: _Redemption_!**


	19. Redemption

**We rejoin Green as he mourns the loss of his friends...**

**Can it really be so? Has Green lost everything? Are the Four Sword Heroes no longer...?**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen:<strong> Redemption

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><p>The empty silence of the room mocked the boy who lay crumpled in a heap by the door, only serving to further cement the despair of his loss in his mind. The tears continued to flow, but he hardly felt them- instead, it seemed as if his entire body were numb, and all he could feel was the deep, never-ending pain in his heart which ate away at him by every second. Green, in his despair, could only think of the others in the other room- trapped in the sand-filled room- and how they had so willingly trusted him, followed his lead... only for it to have led to their demise.<p>

_It's all my fault..._

Even worse than the sorrow and pain he felt of loosing his friends, was the gnawing, aching guilt which ran through him and made him unable to get up. He was safe... and the others... It was all because of him. If he hadn't have made them go in the room, they might have been able to defeat the moblins in this room... if he hadn't have made them go in, it would never have shut them in and trapped them in the rising sands...

... And if he hadn't run for the exit, if he had stayed with the others and helped them through the sands to the door... they would still be...

Green's will to go on had all but drained from his body. The drive... it was gone. He couldn't even remember who he was, his life before waking up in the prison, and all of a sudden, everything he had regained was once again lost. His friends... he never had thought of it before, but as the tears ran out of his eyes, he knew that they were all that he had. A word even came into his mind at this thought... _brothers_... and yet, it only brought more pain to his chest and heart, and he bowed his head once more, his eyes squeezing out the burning sorrow.

... There was nothing left for him.

... And yet...

As he weakly lifted his head, his eyes trying to blink out the tears which had stained his cheeks and burned his vision... a sudden glint of light ran across his sight. His brow slightly furrowed in confusion, Green's weary, despair-ridden face looked up as his eyes blinked, regaining his sight as he looked up to see what the flash of light was...

... On a corner of the lever, a portion of where the rust did not touch, the silvery-smooth surface of the lever beneath had caught against the light and flashed in reflection, its light briefly grazing across Green's vision. Green's eyes narrowed once more as he sniffed away his tears, pushing his arms up and standing up on his knees, leaning forward and examining the surface of the lever.

And once more, as the light in the room flashed against the bare surface of the silvery lever, the light reflected off its surface and bounced outwards, lighting up Green's vision-

And all of a sudden, with a gasp and the breathe stolen from his chest, Green's eyes opened wide as the light dove deep within him... into his mind, and into his heart...

**_... The light..._**

_The moment their hands grasped, the torch lit up the woods around them, and the darkness clouding the young boy suddenly screeched in pain, wrapping around the duo in a rage before fleeing upwards into the night sky, blasting into millions of shards of shadow, falling uselessly into oblivion._

_The light returned in his eyes, Red blinked a few times in surprise, before looking back slowly up at Green._

_"...Green...?" he whined softly._

_Green grinned._

_"GREEN!" Crying out cheerfully, his will restored, the boy jumped up and flung his arms around his friend's neck, startling the other as he took step back, wrapping an arm awkwardly around the other to comfort him..._

_..._

**_The silver beneath the rust..._**

_..._

_...He then looked back at Green with a quiet, forgiving smile. "But... I know you'll find 'em. Won't you?"_

_Green looked back warmly at Red. How did he deserve his forgiveness, after what he'd put him through? He nodded slowly, reaching back behind him to pull his sword out once more. "I'll do my best, Red. We have to."_

_..._

**_The lever!_**

All at once, gasping and stumbling backwards, Green found himself falling back against the stone, only catching himself from falling completely by throwing his hands out behind him and stopping his fall. Still, as he landed harshly on the ground, sitting up, his eyes were wide, and his chest was heaving, panting, sweat pouring down his face- the memory had run so quickly through his mind, yet so brilliantly and plainly that it had almost smacked him in his face.

The others... they trusted him... even in his failures, they had faith in him...

And the silver beneath the rust of the lever...

Without wasting a second longer, Green scrambled to his feet, running back up to the lever and standing above it, looking down on it with wide, understanding eyes.

Slowly, he reached behind his back.

_I... I won't let you down, guys..._

_... No matter what..._

_... I **WON'T** give up!-!-!_

Shouting out loud, pulling from his back his glistening, proud Four Sword, Green took a step forward as he swung his sword downwards upon the lever. And as the sharp end of his blade screeched against the side of the lever, he watched as the sparks flew- and chunks of rust, ground off by the end of his sword, flew off in a flurry, scattering on the ground beneath him. Where his sword had scored against the lever, a streak of rust had been gouged out- leaving a broad line of silver, peeking out from beneath.

Once more feeling his strength pulsing through him, his determination rising like a blazing fire in his chest, Green cried out again as he swung his sword at the lever, over and over, slicing off chunks and slabs of the rust and sending the caked-on material flying over the ground. Bit by bit, as the sparks and rust flew, the silver surface of the rust was peeking out from underneath... And every few swings, Green could hear a metallic creaking sound, as the lever, slowly but surely being rid of its weight, was creaking to the side...

Raising his sword high above him, and shouting out once more for his friends, Green swung his blade fiercely in front of him, the blade slicing downwards across the lever and digging into its side, slicing a massive slab of rust off the lever-

And, in an instantaneous reaction, the lever snapped forwards, the remaining bits of rust flying off of it, finally freed of its restraint as it swung forwards, the satisfying click reverberating through the room. The switch had worked- and, with wide eyes, Green looked quickly to the side at the door- and watched as it slowly began to vibrate, its stone surface rumbling against the will of the lever...

... And began to open.

All at once, Green jumped back, his eyes wide and searching, as he expected the sand from the other room to burst through the slowly opening door and spill outwards. And yet, his heart froze in disbelief in his chest as he stood still and watched the door calmly and slowly open, revealing to his wide and confused eyes...

... The room was empty.

Taking a staggering step forward, his blade hanging at his side, Green's wide eyes scanned the wide, open room, his mouth hanging open in shock as he took in what he couldn't believe. The room looked as if it had been drained- only a few grains of sand were scattered across the ground, and as he looked around the room, there was not a soul in sight.

Almost disbelieving, Green took another few steps into the room, blinking and looking around as his heart sank. They weren't in here... but... what had _happened_?

And yet, in an instant, as the light from the room he'd come from shone in to the once sand-filled area, Green's eyes blinked once more in surprise as he noticed something that hadn't been there before- near the floor, a small hole was neatly set in the side of the wall. It led into darkness- looking much like the tunnel through which they had entered the first room from.

A tunnel... a secret passageway...

They might have been able to escape!

But what about the moblins trapped in the room with them? Had they been able to fight them off? There were no moblins lying dead in the room, not even the ones they'd been fighting, so that had to mean that...

Sheathing his sword in an instant, Green wasted not a second more as he ran towards the hole, falling down on his knees and looking into the tunnel. All he could see was blackness.

Setting his jaw and narrowing his eyes in determination, the flame, the drive to go on, once more rose up in his chest.

_...I'll find you, guys. I promise. I WON'T give up._

Taking a deep breath, Green nodded firmly to himself- then hesitated not once more as he moved forward, crawling into the hole and through the darkness, following the path deep into the shadows to find the others.

* * *

><p>Though the tunnel was dark, damp, and cramped, Green did not tire, nor did he slow down his crawl through the narrow and light-less passageway. His eyes stayed sharp and focused ahead, unwavering and unwilling to give up. He'd failed the others once before... he had no intention of doing it again.<p>

The minutes passed as he crawled, but finally... at the end of the darkness, a small light began to grow. His eyes widened once in surprise- then narrowed fiercely in rising determination, increasing his pace through the tunnel and approaching the growing light as fast as he could.

Finally reaching the opening, Green squeezed himself through, squinting his eyes against the bright light as he crawled out of the tunnel, standing up and blinking as he took in his new surroundings.

And as his eyes adjusted to the light... they widened in shock and astonishment at what he saw.

Green was standing on a ledge overlooking a massive, wide-open, circular room. Lining the walls of the room stood roughly-made, yet sturdy, wooden forts and tents- and crawling in and out of them, patrolling the room with heavy blades and axes, were hundreds upon hundreds of moblins- small ones, with dozens of larger ones commanding them as they went about their business in the enemy encampment.

And yet, staggering back in shock as a wave of fear- and relief- swept over him, Green's wide eyes stared, unbelieving, at a small tent off to the side, where a small cluster of the larger moblins were leading three prisoners, with hands tied behind their backs, to three poles stuck firmly in the ground.

Vio, his eyes narrowed in cold, quiet hate, looked over his shoulders at his captors as they forced him down onto the ground, wrapping his tied hands on the pole behind him. He gave no resistance- but it was clear to Green, by Vio's quickly moving eyes, that every second, he was planning something, analyzing their situation and figuring out a plan.

Next, shoving the boy harshly down, two moblins roared in fury as they attempted to subdue a fighting, kicking, and screaming Blue. Though his hands were tied behind his back, his eyes blazed in fury and contempt as he struggled against the larger moblins- and yet, despite his efforts, he, too, was soon shoved to the floor, his arms tied tightly on the post behind him.

Lastly, as Green's wide eyes watched with heartbreak, Red's despondent and saddened eyes trailed off to the ground, being pushed along quietly by the moblin holding him captive. As he was shoved to the ground and tied up, he looked over at the other two- attempting to give a small, weak smile, and saying something- possibly trying to cheer them up.

Green couldn't believe it.

They were _alive_!

And yet...

They were also being held captive... by an enormous, and powerful battalion of moblins. His heart sunk as he began to realize this-

But, instantly, Green shook his head, narrowing his eyes in determination. He didn't care how many there were, he was going to get them out of it. Quickly looking around him once more, and spotting a way to get down, the boy grit his teeth and quickly leapt off the ledge, hiding behind a set of crates. He'd seen everything he needed to of the camp from on the ledge- and as he ran, hiding behind the tents and crates for cover, he was already forming a plan.

Finally, he slowed his pace as he caught sight of the three tied-up Links, on the other side of a tent. There was one moblin keeping watch over them- its back faced away from Green. Slowly, with narrowed eyes, Green pulled out his Four Sword...

In seconds, the massive moblin's eyes had widened, then, with a low grunt, had shut as the beast began to tip over. And as it fell forward, Green took a step back, drawing his sword out of the beast's back, watching as it slammed against the ground, dead.

Wasting not another second, keeping low to the ground and making sure he was not seen, Green crept over to behind the poles, smiling as he walked up beside Red.

"... Hey, guys."

In an instant, three sets of blue eyes whirled around and, wide-open, stared incredulously at the boy to the side of them. Green smiled as the others noticed him, and nodded.

Quickly looking back around him, keeping low to the ground and using the shadows of the tent to his advantage, Green's smile faded as his face grew serious, saying quietly, "Alright, I... I don't know what happened, but I'll get you guys out of here. Just hang tight, I've got a plan."

However, unable to keep from smiling as relief once more washed over him, he grinned as he turned to look back at them, "Jeez, you guys, I thought you all were _dead_, I-"

"... _Did_ you, now?"

Green blinked in surprise, quieting instantly upon hearing the voice of one of the others.

Vio's voice was, as his face, cold and quiet. He stared back at Green, not with surprised eyes, but with a sort of calm fury. He spoke again, calm and indifferent, "Funny, I thought we were, too. Seeing as how we were _left_ trapped in that room."

Leaning forward and turning to look at Green, Blue's eyes blazed in fury as he roared, pulling against his ropes, "Green, you... you _left_ us in there, you lousy, good-for-nothing, dirty little son of a-!"

"GREEN! You made it!" Red suddenly cried out, nearly bouncing up in his seat, his hands still tied behind him- yet his eyes almost crying in joy. "I knew it! I knew you'd come back for us! Guys, see? I told you! I told you Green would-"

"Both of you, quiet!" Vio suddenly snapped, looking at them fiercely. "You'll get us noticed!" Instantly, both of the others quieted down- Red frowning sadly and shrinking back, Blue quietly shaking in rage.

Green's eyes were wide, and his heart felt like a lump of coal, weighing him down into the shadows in which he hid.

Turning back to face Green, Vio kept his calm, yet infuriated gaze at Green. "You _left_ us in that damn room," he spat quietly, his eyes burning in hatred- yet another sort of burning sensation stinging the corners of his eyes, as tears threatened to well up beneath the surface. "You left us to _die_. It should be _you_ tied up here, not me, or Blue, or Red. _How_ could you have just _left_ us there?"

"Vio, I'm _telling_ you, I'm sure it was just an accident!" Red pleaded, looking to his side at Vio, and then back to Green. He offered his friend a weak smile, "I... I know it was! It had to be! Green wouldn't just leave us, I _know_ he-"

"You mean you _remember_," Blue snarled suddenly, once more lunging against the ropes which bound him to the pole and sending his burning, hateful glare over at Green, then Red. "You may remember how he was _like_, or what happened in the _past_," he growled, "but obviously, Green _doesn't_. He left us in the room, and that's a _fact_."

Green was silent, staring in horror and despair at the others as they slammed him with the truth of their words. He waited until they had all finished talking, until it once more grew silent between them... and, closing his eyes, he hung his head and choked out quietly, "I... I know... I left you guys. But I swear, I didn't mean to... It was an accident..."

Taking another deep breath, shaking his head, Green sighed as he continued, "But, I know that doesn't change things. I _know_ I made a bad decision. I screwed everything up, and... I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry..."

Once more taking a deep breath and looking back up, Green's eyes suddenly flashed and narrowed in determination, swallowing his doubts and fears as he snapped back, "Look, I'll understand if you never want to trust me again. I wouldn't blame you- Hell, I wouldn't forgive me, either. But right now, I need you guys to do what I say, so I can get us out of here." Looking back out into the camp, he narrowed his eyes as he continued, "I've got a plan, but it'll only work if you guys help me."

Quickly looking back at the others, Green nodded as he looked at Red, saying firmly, "You told me once that you believed in me. Please..." his eyes trailed back to Blue and Vio. "All I ask is for you believe in me... one more time."

The three Links were quiet as they listened to Green speak.

Finally, Blue grit his teeth, swallowing a lump in his throat, as he was the first to respond. "... Don't think this means I'm ready to forgive you, Green, because it doesn_'_t. But... if you've got a plan, then _do_ it already."

Smiling past Blue's anger, Red nodded as he turned back towards Green, saying quietly, "I... I do believe in you, Green. Tell me what to do, okay?"

Vio was the last to speak, as a silence drew between them- and he finally looked back at Green, his eyes stone cold as he quietly spoke, "... You had better know what you're doing this time, Green."

"I do," Green replied instantly, his voice firm and his eyes narrowed. He surprised even himself with his instant reaction and authoritative tone- but he knew he had to be firm and resolute, to convince the others. Swallowing past his fears, he nodded as he looked back out at the camp, then back to them, leaning in and continuing, "Alright, here's what we're going to do..."

And as Green relayed his plan to the others, in the shadows and silence of the enemy camp, their plan was set into motion, the three Links listening quietly to the plan and ready to follow its orders...

* * *

><p>Stomping on the ground and roaring in its fury, the giant moblin raised its axe high and swung it in a large arc over its head, the sound of its edge slicing through the wind piercing through the very fabric of the air. And as hundreds of other slices just like it swung outwards, in one direction, the entire room was filled with the sounds of the monsters' screams and attacks as they ran forwards, chasing after the three escapees who ran frantically away.<p>

Blue's eyes were wide and panicked as he looked over his shoulder at the approaching hoard, his teeth against in anger- and in pain, as he tightly grasped his left shoulder, small droplets of blood trickling out between his tightened fingers. Looking back over to the side, his eyes narrowed in rage as he saw Vio running beside him, both of them fleeing for their lives against the approaching mob of the hundreds upon hundreds of moblins.

Vio, too, was gasping for breath as he ran beside Blue, looking behind him frantically as the monsters grew closer. The room was large, but he knew, with a creeping feeling of horror, there was only so long and so far they could run. Everything had happened so fast- and had gone so wrong. And, gritting his teeth and blinking past his own, internal rage, he knew as he continued to run alongside Blue, away from the enemies- it had been their fault.

Crying out from behind them, Red called out to the others as he fell behind, stumbling and staggering as he ran- his arms full with three swords, three shields, a bow, a hammer, and his own Ice Rod. He'd done his task, as assigned- but when everything had fallen apart, he was stuck with the retrieved weapons- and as he tried his best to catch up to Vio and Blue, the weight was slowly but surely slowing and weighing him down. His wide eyes looked in fear and horror behind him, the moblins gaining on the three frightened heroes...

Suddenly, crying out, Red felt his momentum suddenly stop as he was flung forward, his boot catching on a wayward rock and sending him tumbling to the ground. The weapons and shields went flying out of his hands, scattering and skittering across the ground.

Instantly whirling around, Blue and Vio gasped as Red fell- and, though each looked up at the approaching, massive wave of monsters, neither of them hesitated a moment as they ran back to Red, Vio gathering up the fallen weapons and Blue running over to help Red back up.

Fraught with guilt, Vio squeezed his eyes shut as he picked up the swords and shields, looking over to Red, and then past him towards the approaching moblins. He swore in his mind over and over, cursing himself... if he had only just followed Green's plans, none of this would have happened... Instead, as he once more swore at himself, gathering up the last of the weapons in his arms, he had to make his own split-second decision to change the plans, to what he thought would be better. He thought Green's plan foolish... until he'd seen the hiding reserve of soldiers, alerted to Vio's presence by his deterrence of orders.

Wrapping his good arm around Red, and cursing past the pain in his other arm, Blue grunted as he helped the other to his feet, his muscles throbbing and sweat pouring down his face. The small, yet painful gash in his right arm- along with the screams and vibrations of the approaching wave of the moblin army- served as a painful and harsh reminder of his own foolishness and his failure. Though he had been told to sneak past the guards to meet up with Red... when he'd seen a moblin guard on its own, his hate had overcome him and he'd lunged to attack, despite being unarmed... and yet, it had only served to get him hurt, and put the entire plan in jeopardy.

Lastly, as he struggled to regain his balance through the help of the others, Red looked with wide, terrified eyes over his shoulder at the moblins as they grew even closer. He'd had one, simple job: to retrieve their weapons and remain unseen. And yet, when the roles of the others had been intentionally sabotaged... Where he was supposed to have met them, he was instead met with dozens of alerted guards, who had chased him back to the center of the wide, open room, with Red carrying all three sets of weapons as he ran.

Everything had fallen apart... and as the three struggled to regain their footing in the center of the arena, slowly, each of them looked up, their eyes wide, at the closing in hoard... They were trapped... And as the wave of enemies slowly closed in on them, each of them felt the creeping dread around them, knowing they were-

All of a sudden, with a loud shout and landing right in front of them, Green looked up from where he had jumped down, his narrowed, fierce blue eyes staring down the countless wave of moblins fast approaching. Though in one hand, he was unarmed- after having let go of the rope he'd used to swing down to the others- in his other, gripped tightly between his fingers, rested his boomerang.

Taking a step forward, Green gave a grin, and raised back his arm.

"Get the _hell_ away from my _friends_!" Green roared as he flung out his arm, as hard and as fast as he could, letting go of his weapon right at the peak of his throw. The wooden boomerang in his hand flung outwards, whirling around in spinning circles as it shot past the fallen Links, and out towards the moblins- and yet, rather than flinging itself at the enemies itself, it began to instead curve around the outside of the wave...

And all four sets of blue eyes- three of them wide in shock and amazement, the other narrowed in calm determination- watched as the boomerang whistled around the camps, passing through lit torches outside each tent and blazing in its acquired fire. And as the burning boomerang curved back around, Green grinned, watching it work.

Dipping downwards to the ground, as soon as the boomerang grazed close to the floor- the fire dancing around its wooden, yet silver-plated surface suddenly lashed out, almost as if attaching itself to the ground as the boomerang whistled around the moblins, creating behind it as it flew a solid, flaming barrier of fire.

And as the boomerang flew back to its owner, the wall of fire closed off, bursting off form the ground in front of them and stopping the moblins in their tracks, trapping them in a massive ring of tall, burning fire.

Catching the boomerang soundly in his hands once more, Green smiled grimly as he nodded, quickly putting away his no longer on fire weapon, then quickly turning around to the others.

"Hurry, to the exit!" Green shouted, running over and helping Red back to his feet. His eyes darted past them, to the exit up ahead- and widened as he watched the massive door slowly begin to move... the concrete rumbled against the stone as the door began to close.

Looking past it and back to the others, Green shook his head, once more pushing the others on and looking over his shoulder at the moblins, yelling, "Guys, _now_! Get out of here, before the door closes! I'll hold them off, just _go_!"

Jerking out his sword and shield, without waiting for the others to respond, Green whirled back around and faced the trapped hoard of monsters. Though the fire had stopped them temporarily, he could see- and hear- them roaring and lashing out at the flame-barrier, trying to break it down or get past it. And he knew, with a grim thought, the barrier wouldn't last long- only long enough to buy the others time enough to get through the door.

Taking a step forward, narrowing his eyes in determination, Green swallowed past his fear, raising his sword and shield as he prepared to fight the moblins off as best he could and give the others time to-

Suddenly, a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he blinked, looking back with confused eyes.

Vio's face, though calm and quiet, was ridden with guilt and sadness as he looked up at their leader.

"... We're _not_ leaving without you, Green," he said bluntly, his eyes lightly narrowed.

Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth, Blue stepped forward as he also grabbed Green's arm, snapping, "_We_ screwed things up this time- I know that. And I'm not about to let you sacrifice yourself for us, Green!"

Though he had blinked in confusion, Green shook his head, stammering as he shouting out, trying to look back at the moblins, "I... I don't care! I want you guys _safe_, so get through that door before it closes!" Looking past the others, and swallowing past his fears, he grit his teeth as he shouted, "Just forget about me, alright?-! You're running out of time!"

"Please, Green!" Red pleaded, running up to Green and tugging on his sleeve. "Come with us! We need to stay _together_, remember?-!"

Green was silent as he looked over at the others. The door was closing... the moblins were slowly breaking down the fire wall... Once again... he had to make a decision.

Slowly... he nodded his head.

"...Fine," he choked out, snapping with narrowed eyes, "I'll be behind you. Just go! _Now!-!_"

Each of them grinning, the three Links nodded as they whirled around, grasping their weapons, and ran for the door.

Looking behind him, Green grit his teeth nervously as the moblins began to break through the barrier...

Shaking his head, gripping his sword and taking a deep breath, the leader of the Links also turned around as he began to run after his friends behind them, towards the slowly closing door...

And as the roar of the moblins escalated behind him as they broke through the fire, racing after the escapees, the door slowly closing in front of him and his friends racing in front of him... Green closed his eyes, holding his breath as he ran forwards, towards the door, their only exit...

... And, with a loud, thundering crash, the door slammed shut.

* * *

><p><strong>Hooray! The Links are alive! :D <strong>

**Yet... have they made it past the door? **

**Or will they be trapped in the room, facing the army of moblins?**

**The heroes' trek through the Forest Temple concludes in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Twenty: _Renew_!**


	20. Renew

**Welp, let's cut to the chase!**

**Time to find out of the Links have made it through the door! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty:<strong> Renew

* * *

><p>In an instant, everything had gone silent, and dark.<p>

The sound of the door slamming shut behind them bounced around the walls of the tunnel, echoing outwards and growing quieter and quieter until they were left in silence- with no sound heard, save for their own breaths.

Finally, it was the quiet one of them who spoke up.

"... Did... Did we make it?" Red whined quietly in the darkness- though his eyes were wide, he could see nothing.

"I think so... we're all here, right?" Blue answered firmly- though even he couldn't hide the quiet shake in his voice, still recovering from the terrifying ordeal they'd narrowly escaped from.

"I believe so," answered a calm voice, Vio responding to their friends with a nod- even though he knew they would not be able to see him. He looked around- but it was no use, the room was pitch black. "Green? You there?"

There was silence.

His voice quavering, Red spoke up again, "H-Hey... Green... come on, you're here, right?"

Again, there was no answer, save for his own voice echoing quietly down the lonely passageway.

His eyes lighting up, Red quickly reached behind his back, pulling out in front of him his Fire Rod. Instantly, a small flame burst from the tip of the orb, flickering to life and illuminating a small area around him. Red blinked as he saw Blue and Vio's faces lit up in the red-orange glow of his flame... And as the others recognized the new light, each of them turned back to look behind them, towards the door.

... There was no one there.

"... No... Green..." Blue found himself choking out, his eyes wide as he took a step towards the door. Placing a shaky hand on the surface of the door, he slowly grit his teeth... and, his hand forming into a fist, he pounded on the door furiously, roaring out, "Green! Damnit, Green, get your ass in here!" However, though he beat on the concrete door, it did not budge- and slowly, his voice quieted, his eyes widened in rage and shock as he stared at the cold surface of the door.

Red and Vio, silent and wide-eyed, only stared in shock at the empty door.

"I... I don't believe it..." Vio found himself whispering quietly, taking a small step back- as if he had been slugged in the chest. "He... he didn't make it..."

"No... Green..." Starting to whimper, Red's eyes began to well up in tears as his Fire Rod lowered slightly, his shoulders sagging slightly in despair... "Please..."

... And yet, as his gaze fell to the ground, Red sniffed as he felt someone tap him lightly on the shoulder.

"Not now, Vio," Red whimpered as he lifted a hand to brush the other's hand off his shoulder, looking off to the side and sniffing in sorrow.

Blinking, Vio looked to the side over at Red. "What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.

Red blinked.

Leaning out from behind Red, Green grinned as he looked over at the three, who had each slowly turned to look at their grinning leader in shock.

"... Boo."

And as Red screamed, Vio's jaw dropped, and Blue shouted out loud, Green laughed as all three of them exploded outwards, running forward and nearly tackling him to the ground in a massive, enthusiastic hug.

"GREEN-YOU-JACKASS-WHAT-THE-HELL-WAS-THAT-FOR?-!" Blue roared as he laughed, his arms wrapped tightly around his friend- never wanting to let go.

"Green you really had me _scared_ there!" Red bawled out, also hugging his friend tightly, squished in the middle of the others.

Even Vio, reserved as he was, was grinning from ear to ear as he hugged the other- only to take a step back soon afterwards, punching his friend harshly in the arm and snapping- though unable to get rid of his wide smile- "Green, you jerk, you had us scared to death!"

Unable to stop laughing and grinning as the others spilled out their excitement, Green looked weakly over to Vio and shrugged- as best he could, with two Links still hugging onto him tightly. Giving a wry grin, he laughed as he teased back easily with a playful sneer, "Hey, now you guys know how _I_ felt, back there!"

Slightly humbled, Blue and Red grinned as they released their friend, taking a step back. And yet, at the mention of what had just happened, each of them found themselves suddenly unable to look at their leader, their gazes instead casting downwards and to the side.

"... Yeah, Green... by the way... back there, I, uh..." Blue stuttered, frowning as he looked at the ground.

"...I'm sorry."

The three Links blinked in confusion, looking back up at the one who had spoken.

Green's smile was gone, instead replaced with a sad, yet serious frown. Taking another breath, he gave a weak smile as he repeated, "I'm sorry, guys. For everything. Everything that happened was because I didn't believe I would be a good leader for you guys, and I-"

"...Oh, just shut up already, will you?"

Green blinked in surprise at the curt, blunt voice which had interrupted him.

Sighing and shaking his head, Vio gave a small smirk as he stepped forward, his arms crossed. "You've said you're sorry already," he said simply, "And besides- It is I who should be apologizing. Back there, in the camp, wasn't even your fault. Blue and I, we..." He blinked as his voice trailed off, and his gaze drifted to the side. Narrowing his eyes slightly in frustration, he muttered guiltily, "At least, _I_ know, _I_ didn't follow the plan. And it nearly got us killed."

"No, I didn't, either," Blue sighed, shaking his head. "I guess I didn't... I dunno... I acted stupid," he finally finished, cold and blunt with himself, frowning and crossing his arms, looking off to the side. "So... I'm sorry." Looking back up at Green, he smiled grimly as he said, "There, I said it, alright? Don't hold me to it anymore, leader."

Once more, Green found himself blinking and looking Vio to Blue in quiet surprise. "Leader...?"

Absolutely beaming, Red nodded as he continued to hug his friend, looking up at Green, his eyes practically shining. "Green, I knew you'd come and save us! And you did!" he said, laughing and jumping up, looking from the others back to their leader. "I always believed in you, Green, you just had to believe in _yourself_!"

"You... you knew I'd come after you?" Green finally said, blinking in quiet shock.

Vio smiled grimly. "He wouldn't stop going on about it," he said simply, crossing his arms. "It was all he would say, as we were captured. 'Just you watch- Green will save us.' Not even the moblins could keep him quiet." Red grinned weakly in embarrassment.

Blue smiled lightly, nodding. "He never doubted you- even if we did," he said, sighing and shaking his head. "And whaddaya know? He was right, all along." He grinned, clapping a hand over Green's shoulder. "So, go on. Lead the way, Green- that is, as long as you're okay with that?" he added, raising an eyebrow.

There was a pause as the three Links looked up at Green. Though he felt their gazes looking up at him expectantly, as they had last time- he instead felt no worry nor fear this time, and gave them a warm smile.

"...Yeah. Come on, guys, let's go- we're wasting time, remember?" Green said, flashing a grin. Nodding once to Red, he continued, "Can you keep your Fire Rod lit? We need to see where we're going, if we're gonna get out of here before this whole place sinks." With an eager grin and a nod, Red jumped forward, holding up proudly his torch. Looking back over at Blue and Vio, Green smiled as he continued, "Alright, then. Everyone ready?"

Vio laughed quietly. "Ready," he answered calmly with a small, simple smile.

"Jeez, let's _go_, already!" Blue roared with a wide grin, jumping forward, ready to go. And as the other Links laughed at the anticipation of their friend, all four of them turned and resumed walking down the dark corridor- though, united under one, confident leader, and bound together by the warmth of their small friend, none of them had any fear as they continued into the depths of the darkness.

* * *

><p>It hadn't been long that the Links had been walking through the dark tunnel, when it began to get brighter and brighter as they continued down the passageway- and finally, a solid wall of light greeted them at the end of the wide, long corridor. Without hesitation, the Four Sword heroes continued through the hall until they had each stepped through the barrier of light, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the new room they had set their sights upon.<p>

It looked similar to the large, circular room they were in before- only it was perhaps three or four times more massive, with a towering-high ceiling and a massive pit of sand which covered the entire floor, save for a small path of stone which bordered the outside of the sand-pit. The sands slid and crunched beneath their feet as they stepped into the room, looking around them at the vast emptiness of the expanse. As far as they could see, there were no more exits from this room-

And yet, before any of them could react, a loud crash echoed throughout the room- whirling around, the Links eyes were wide as they barely caught the sight of the door slamming shut behind them.

... They were locked in.

"... Wow. You four _really_ aren't that bright, are you?"

One surprise after another, the four Links found themselves once more turning around quickly, eyes wide at the sudden, new voice which had spoken to them. Looking upwards, each of their wide eyes quickly narrowed at the familiar sight hovering above them.

Idly examining his hand, Shadow sighed, shaking his head, reclining back in the air as he rested on what seemed to be a cloud of darkness. "Here I was, thinking you'd be smarter than this," he commented dryly with a sigh, shaking his head and looking down at them with a bored expression and a raised eyebrow. "You all disappoint me."

The four Links on the ground stood calm and firm as they looked up at the boy- and yet, breaking the silence, came the sudden and unexpected voice of one of the boys who stood on the ground.

"Sh... Shadow!" Red suddenly cried out, his eyes wide as he took a step forward. He blinked once more- then, crying out, suddenly burst into a grin as he shouted elatedly, "You're _alive_!" However, blinking, he then paused as he said quietly, looking up at Shadow with a frown, "But... why are you... wait... why have you _been_..."

The room had gone quiet- and even the boy above them looked down at the boy in red with a curious, confused gaze.

Red's brow had furrowed- even more confused than those around him- and, finally finding his words, took a breath and looked up at Shadow, his eyes wide and sad as he implored the other with his heartbreaking words.

"I... I thought... we were supposed to be... _friends_..."

The silence stretched on, though it was more surprised than confused, as the four boys in the room stared back at Red, wide-eyed and disbelieving.

"Red... what are you _talking_ about?" Green asked, blinking, eyes narrowed in confusion.

"... Hmph. Stupid kid. It doesn't matter, anyways," came Shadow's cold reply, and the others looked back up at him as he crossed his arms, frowning. However, he quickly smirked, brushing away the child's earlier outburst with a shrug. "You morons have fallen right into my trap." Flashing a fanged, dark grin, he laughed as he said, "So, come on. Let's see if you're smart enough to get out of _this_."

Without waiting for the response of the others, the boy slowly lifted his hand... The eyes of the Links on the ground widened, expecting the familiar blast of shadowy dark magic to grow from his fingers and summon their next enemy- and yet, with a glint in his eyes and a grin on his face, Shadow curved his hand upwards- and snapped his fingers.

And, in an instant, the boy had vanished.

Blinking in surprise, the four Links looked around the room as Shadow disappeared from view.

And yet...

Neither of them had any time to react, or say anything, before something once more caught them off-guard- and they found themselves suddenly stumbling to keep their balance as the entire ground slowly began to shake and rumble, the sands beneath their feet beginning to move...

"...Guys! Everyone against the wall, _now_!" Green suddenly shouted, snapping into action and jumping backwards, keeping his back against the wall of the room. And yet, before the others could react to their leader's orders-

Shouting out as they were suddenly flung into the air, the Links lost their balance in an instant, falling to the floor as the very ground beneath them exploded outwards, the sands heaving upwards in a massive wave as an enormous mass instantly pushed upwards from underneath the sands. The gigantic explosion shook the entire room, the sands lashing around as if an ocean in reaction to the massive object which had erupted from beneath the pit of sand. And as the Links looked on in wide-eyed horror, the terrifying monster which had lunged out of the sand leaned over and screeched at them, screaming in rage and ferocity.

Its wide-open, circular mouth, lined with dozens and dozens of rows of hundreds upon hundreds of grotesque fangs, each fang the size of the boys themselves, gaped out at the Links, and jutting out from either side of its mouth, aimed for the four boys in front of it, were two massive claw-like pincers which reached out and snapped hungrily at the air in front of them. Multiple insect-like legs jutted out from the body of the exoskeleton which had wormed itself half-way out of the sand, leaning over and supporting its upper half on the multiple, yet thin legs which ground into the sand beneath it. And on top of its carapace-structured head- which itself consisted of nothing but the massive, seemingly never-ending, yawning mouth- towering upwards towards the high ceiling, jutted out a single, thick horn, which split into two branches, each side reaching out towards the heavens, arced and pointed, shaped like its malicious claws. Its arced, segment-plated back also consisted of multiple spike-like structures, bordering each side of its back as it curved down into the center of the sands.

The Gargantuan Desert Arthropod, Scorpidae, screeched and roared in fury as one of its front legs slammed down in the sands beneath it, sending another massive wave of sand spilling forwards, and lunged forward once more, slicing in front of it with one of its massive, serrated claws. The sands where the monster sprouted out of continued to heave and pull, dancing in a sick, twisted motion to the beast's commands as they began to swirl viciously around the beast. And though the fallen Links struggled to their feet, each found the sand slipping beneath them, each grain dragging backwards towards the reaching mass of the arthropod.

"BLUE! VIO, RED!" Green found himself shouting out, ignoring his own safety as he leapt away from the wall, running over the rushing sands and up to his three fallen friends. And yet, as soon as he ran a few feet on the sand, his eyes wide as he stumbled backwards, the sands moving uncontrollably beneath him...

Green's eyes looked upwards in a panic. He could see the others in front of him- though they were back up on their feet and running away from the reaching, massive grasps of the two deadly, intimidating pincers, the sands beneath them were pulling them constantly backwards... acting almost like quicksand as they began to negate the running of the Links, instead slowly drawing them backwards and closer to the reach of the dreaded Scorpidae...

"GUYS! The _sand_!" Green gasped as he shouted, stumbling backwards quickly back onto the firm stone path lining the edge of the wall. "It's pulling you towards it!-!"

"ACH! Damnit!-!" Blue swore as he stumbled to his feet, tripping over the moving sands beneath him- only to instantly push himself to a stand once more, looking over his shoulder with wide, blazing eyes. "How the _hell_ do we deal with this overgrown _insect_?-!" he roared as he once more looked out towards the wall, running as fast as his feet could carry him over the sands and away from the reaching, gaping jaws of the monster's lashing pincers- and yet, slowly panicking as he noticed he was going nowhere, the sands beneath him moving underneath him and slowly pulling him backwards...

"Red, look out!" Vio suddenly shouted- and as he ran over the sands, the boy instantly jumped to the side, lashing out with his arms and pushing the smaller boy close to him to the side. Though Red cried out and stumbled, eventually falling- as he rolled off to the side, right where he had been standing, the insect's massive pincer slammed straight down into the sands, its wide open claw digging only into empty sands. Looking over his shoulder and gritting his teeth in frustration, Vio quickly helped Red back up, continuing to run over the sands- trying desperately to overcome the pull of the sands beneath them.

Green's eyes were frantic as he quickly analyzed their situation from the safety of the firm rock on which he stood. The monster Scorpidae, for what he could see, had no weakness- all that jutted out of the sands were the upper half of its body, which consisted of nothing but its massive, wide-open mouth, a few front legs and those two deadly, intimidating pincers. And yet- he still couldn't deny what was happening now, that the others were slowly but surely being pulled to its wide open, waiting mouth- and its constantly-attacking dual claws. Sweat beaded down the sides of Green's temple, and his heart raced in his chest. He had to act, and _fast_!

Leaping off of the safety of his stone path, with his fists clenched and his eyes narrowed in fierce determination, Green set his sights on the giant scorpion-monster as he leapt into the sinking, swirling sands, running over the sliding, moving floor towards their enemy. And as he ran past Blue, Red, and Vio- ignoring their cries and protests- his sight stayed firm on the massive creature which had exploded out of the sands and was lunging at his friends at every moment. His breath caught in his chest- though his firm, determined eyes remained focused on his target- as, spotting the prey running right to its mouth, Scorpidae screeched and raised one of its terrible claws high, swinging it down, its deadly-sharp pincers opened wide and aimed for the small child in its path-

Shouting out loud, jerking his hand behind his back, Green jumped forward as he whipped out his boomerang, wasting not a second longer as he ran right towards the aimed claw, facing its sharp pincers head on- and, like he'd done in the previous room, swung his shoulder out as far as he could, releasing his tight grip on his weapon right at the end of his throw.

Time almost seemed to slow down to a crawl as Green's fierce, determined eyes followed the sight of his wooden boomerang as, spiraling around in the air, it curved around the claw aimed straight towards him, circling out in a wide arc... and then, right where he'd planned it, the wooden weapon sliced downwards, curving suddenly in its sharp, nearly 90-degree angle, to turn back towards its owner. And yet, as it turned, it passed through a crucial point- and Green watched with a wide grin, Scorpidae screeching in pain, as the boomerang sliced clean through the junction of the beast's claw where it met with its body, severing the limb clean in two. Instantaneously, separated from its main body, the massive pincer which had lunged towards Green began to fall...

Grinning, Green leapt forward, jumping on top of the falling claw as he cleanly and quickly evaded its grasp, reaching out his hand to catch his returning boomerang.

And yet-

As he leapt overtop of the fallen, severed limb, his eyes blinked as a flash of light suddenly burst across his eyesight. A small circle of light- glistening in an almost silvery-green glow- had flashed for a second as Green caught a glimpse of the top of the monster's head, behind its horn, only to fall back down as he landed on top of the claw, the boomerang returning to his hand with a firm, strong catch.

Time snapped back- and, writhing and screaming in pain and agony, Scorpidae tossed and wormed around in its hole, the sands beneath sliding nearly out-of-control as the monster lunged in all directions, temporarily blinded by its rage and pain from the loss of one of its claws. Green gasped as he felt himself falling to the ground along with the limb- though quickly leaping down, rolled easily on the sands to save his fall, getting up a second later.

He could faintly hear the shouts of the others behind him as, using the split-second time of the sand's loss of pull, they all turned to get to the safe edge- only to see Green still standing right in front of the gargantuan insect, still in the midst of battle.

Green grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes and tightening his firm grip around his boomerang. All he'd done was wound the beast- he knew, as something in his gut screamed at him, that the flash of glowing green light- its eye- on top of its head, was what he needed to get at in order to bring the giant Scorpidae down.

Tossing his boomerang up in hi hand and catching it easily, Green grinned as he took a few more steps back, careful to keep his balance on the erratically-shifting sands beneath him, and keeping a close eye on the thrashing, massive insect-beast in front of him. All he had to do was wait... for just the right moment...

And as Scorpidae continued its agonizing, terrifying screams, thrashing around in the sands and sending waves of the sand splashing up around it, its segmented, exoskeleton body continued to turn side to side, writhing and jerking in involuntary movements of pain-

-_There_!

Green's eyes widened. As it thrashed and moved from side to side, its one good claw slicing at the empty sands beneath it- its side had finally turned, and he could once more catch a glimpse of the glowing green eye on top of its head. Wasting not a second more- with something inside him driving him instantly onwards- the boy ran forwards, leaping up onto the fallen, limp claw and stretching his arm out as far as it could go-

And, with a split-second left of the eye in sight before Scorpidae could once more right itself, Green shouted out loud- and let go of his boomerang.

All four sets of eyes watched the movement of the sharp, quick wooden weapon as it spun around and around in the air, slicing through the air and spiraling towards its target- and though the insect's body continued to turn, the eye falling out of sight... The boomerang, arching suddenly and instantly in the air, dove downwards to its intended target...

And all at once, the arena erupted in an ear-piercing, blood-curdling screech as Scorpidae, shrieking in pain and rage, suddenly lunged backwards, its head tossing upwards in reaction to the sharp attack on its skyward-facing eye. Its one good claw waved about frantically in the air as its entire body lunged upwards, screeching and writhing and screaming in torment.

Catching his returned boomerang once more in one, smooth motion, Green quickly jumped off to the side, not looking back as he ran towards his friends on the side of the massive arena. As he ran towards them, he could see and hear them calling out towards him and encouraging onwards... And as a shadow gradually began to fall over Green, his eyes widened, his breath catching in his chest as he ran, stumbling over the sands, knowing just what that meant-

Its screeching stopped, Scorpidae now only echoed out a deep, gurgling moan as, reaching stiffly up into the air, its body slowly began to lean forwards... Its massive body, immobilized by the perfectly-aimed attack, was frozen, and its shadow grew over Green as it slowly began to fall down towards the sands...

Without wasting any more time, shouting out as they did so, the three Links safely on the stone leapt forward, unafraid of the swirling sands beneath them, running towards their friend. And as Green was swallowed by the shadows, his eyes were wide as he watched them run towards him-

In an instant, they met up to him, and each grabbed the struggling, weary leader, helping him to his feet and instantly turning back around to run towards the path.

And just as their feet touched the firm, cold stone of the path-

The sands all around them flew up in a massive reaction to the enormous vibration which struck against the surface of the sand-pit, as the giant Scorpidae fell solidly on the sands, silent and still.

Gasping for breath, helping Green back to his feet and safe on the stone, the three Links looked wide-eyed at the fallen beast, its gaping, toothy mouth mere inches away from them...

And slowly, as Green got to his feet and turned to look, the Four heroes watched with wide eyes as the giant arthropod monster slowly began to slip backwards, falling backwards back through its hole at the center of the arena...

Until, gurgling beneath the sands, Scorpidae had sunk out of sight, back beneath the sands, leaving the arena silent once more- the quiet sounds of the four boys panting the only sound echoing across the massive cavern.

Regaining his breath and composure, Green shook his head, taking a step backwards on the firm stone. "Stay alert, guys," he said firmly, looking with narrowed eyes at the hole where the monster had sunk through. "...I don't think this is over yet."

The others, not wasting a moment, nodded in response to their leader's command, looking back out to the silence and the stillness of the sands.

The sands were quiet and still, calm as they had been before the beast had erupted out of them. And yet, though everything seemed to be calm and placid... each of the Links remained on alert, ready to act upon their commander's orders.

And yet- what happened next left even their leader speechless, as the four Links were suddenly sent stumbling backwards against the wall, blinded by the sands which suddenly exploded outwards and deafened by a screeching whine which pierced through the very fabric of the room. Their eyes, though narrowed against the blinding barrage of sands, widened slightly in horror at what they were seeing.

One claw... then two... then three... massive pincers of the insect-beast from before sprouted back out of the hole where it had originally clawed out of, and slammed down against the sand, pulling the rest of the beast out of the hole. And, still screeching and screaming in rage, the massive insect continued to pull itself out of the sand- the Links watching in creeping horror as Scorpidae once more crept out of the hole- and yet, unlike last time, did not simply stop at half-way out of the hole. Instead, still waving its one good pincer, and two regrown ones around frantically in the air, the massive scorpion continued to climb out of the hole, pulling the rest of its spiked, segmented body out of the sands.

Dozens upon dozens of centipede-like legs sprouted from each side of the beast's full body, and each leg slammed upon the ground in successive unison, pulling the rest of the long insect's body out of the ground. And finally, after the insect's elongated body had crawled out of the hole, it tail finally lashed out of the sands, the massive, double-edged scorpion's stinger, as wide and as massive as its front claws. The blackened outer shell of the insect's tail curved upwards, its tail arching terrifyingly over its back as its dozens of legs scrambled over the sands, racing furiously across the room and lashing out its claws and tail at anything and everything in sight.

Once more screeching and hissing in rage, with the sands all around them swirling in a sandstorm- and, the Links realized with a terrifying jolt, slowly starting to raise the ground higher and higher towards the tall ceiling- the Demonic Stinging Arachnid, Scorpidae, fully-formed and storming around the massive arena, once more raised its tail and claws as it lunged forwards, its wide-open mouth gaping and reaching to devour the four children in its colossal, lethal grasp.

* * *

><p><strong>Shadow's trap has finally slammed shut, and the heroes now find themselves facing against the titanic, sand-controlling insect, Scorpidae! <strong>

**Will they be able to defeat the massive, raging arthropod before the entire room sinks- or before they're caught in its massive claws and stinger?**

**The intense battle against time continues in tomorrow's conclusive chapter, Chapter Twenty-One: _Restore_!**


	21. Restore

**We rejoin our heroes in the midst of the battle against the massive insect sand-monster, Scorpidae!**

**Do the Four Heroes have what it takes to work together and defeat this massive foe?**

**Read ahead to find out! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-One:<strong> Restore

* * *

><p>The arena was slowly rising- this became painfully clear as the Links watched the sand start to spill over their safe, stone platform which originally stood around the perimeter of the room a safe zone, away from the sliding sands. Though the ceiling of the massive room was incredibly tall, at the rate the sand was rising... each knew, their time was limited. And as the sand finally covered their platform, each of the Links grabbed hold to the rough stone of the wall, trying to keep some sort of leverage as the sands beneath them started to pull and tug in every direction, the roar of the winds whipping around them and the screams of Scorpidae slicing around in the frantic, ferocious winds.<p>

"Guys, stay here by the wall!" Green shouted, raising a hand to his eyes to keep the sands from burying themselves in his sight. His eyes were squinted, but as he looked outwards in the arena, he could still faintly see the blurry outline of the blackened insect's form as it stormed around the sands. "I know what I need to do!"

And yet, as Green turned away from the wall, his boomerang in one hand as he prepared to once more face the beast- he suddenly stumbled, as a firm grip tightened itself around his wrist. Blinking in surprise- and partly to keep the sands out- he looked back at the others.

Blue had a hand firmly on Green's wrist, and sharply pulled him back to the others by the wall. Shaking his head, he roared over the noise of the sandstorm, "Don't give us that crap, Green! We're going to help, wether you like it or _not_!"

Green bit his lip, his eyes narrowing in frustration. The emotions he'd experienced after believing his friends lost in the sands... The terrifying fear that he'd lost his friends... He never wanted to feel it, ever again. He'd do anything to keep the others safe- and the last thing he wanted to do was order his friends to jump into harm's way in order to take down the beast. His eyes were cast down to the ground in frustration and conflicting emotions.

Sensing his uneasiness, Vio gave a light, grim smile as he also reached over, grabbing Green's wrist overtop Blue's fist and pulling him back towards the wall. "You're our leader," he shouted firmly, "And we're your _team_! So tell us what to do- and this time, we won't let you down!"

Lastly, grinning despite the buffeting sandstorm, Red leaned forward, also grabbing Green's hand- his fist grasping their leader right next to his friends'. "You're here to lead, and _we're_ here to follow!" he chirped up, nodding enthusiastically. "And we'll follow wherever you go, Green!"

And as the sandstorm raged on, the scorpion beast screeching and bellowing in its rampage around the arena... Green's heart suddenly felt whole and lifted, and a warm smile spread, lighting up his cast-down face in confidence and belief.

Gritting his teeth, he gave a grin to the others, putting away his boomerang and placed his hand over the fists of the others. Their hands all joined in the center of their circle, each of them smiled at one another, their eyes lighting up with readiness and exchanging a nod.

"... Alright, then. ...I've got a plan," their leader said, laughing, his grin growing by the second.

"Now _that's_ what I like to hear!" Blue roared enthusiastically. Vio and Red also nodded in approval, and though the roar of the sands was near-deafening, as the four all leaned in to their group huddle, each of them heard just what the leader said- every word, and every detail.

At the end of it, each of them were beaming with excitement.

Green set his jaw into a firm grin. "Everyone ready?" he asked- unable to then keep himself from laughing.

"_Hell_, yeah!" Blue shouted ecstatically.

Vio's smirk was calm and cool- though even he couldn't hide that he was impressed. He nodded once, firmly. "Let us proceed!"

"We can _do_ this, guys!" Red shouted, grinning from ear to ear.

"Then let's _go_!" Green shouted out, laughing- and, all at once, the four boys, with a hand in the center of them and stacked on top of each other, cheered out loud as they raised their hands at the same time, in the universal symbol for teamwork. Without wasting a second longer, each of the four- exchanging quick grins with the others- whirled around and ran in opposite directions, each ready for their assigned task.

Finished and satisfied with its initial rampage, with the extra burst of energy out of its system, the massive insect monster screamed as it came to a stop, turning around and waving its three, massive claws in the sand-buffeting air. Two antennae which sprouted overtop its wide, egregious open mouth waved around in the sands, and its hundreds of insect-like legs continued to slam down in quick succession over the sands as its exoskeleton-plated body turned and twisted every which way. And lastly, its massive tail- hidden beneath the sands before- was curled intimidatingly over its back, the double-blades at the end glistening madly in the room and hanging over the beast as it waited for just the right moment to lash out at the four children, seemingly lost in the sand.

And yet, as the massive Scorpidae screeched, turning from side to side in its search for the Links-

Suddenly, roaring in instant pain, the massive insect stumbled backwards, its balance suddenly lost as one of its dozens of legs was suddenly sliced off, the frantic and still-moving leg twitching as it fell over the sand. And right where the severed limb landed, so Blue quickly and nimbly evaded the fallen leg, his sword gripped tightly in both hands and a wide grin spread over his face.

Its antenna waving wildly in response to the lost balance, the monster screeched in rage at its severed limb- but quickly compensated for the lost limb, regaining its stature and whirling around to face Blue. Lifting its three claws, the beast screeched as it lunged forward, snapping right at the running child-

However, once more, the beast's lunge was off-target as it stumbled in the opposite direction, another leg- on the other side of its body- once more sliced beneath it. Laughing, Blue ran in between the legs, quickly and deftly dodging the numerous, pounding steps of the massive limbs as they continued to walk and stumble about. As he ran, his wild grin spread across his face, he gave hardly a second's glance or notice to the imbalanced beast- rather, he continued to run underneath and around the insect, slicing off legs as he could and further putting the beast off-balance.

Stumbling and staggering by the second, as each subsequent slash continued to push it off balance despite its quickly-recovering senses, Scorpidae continued to turn and twist in all direction, unable to get at the child who was darting beneath it.

And in all the motion and noise of the raging battle and sandstorm, one voice suddenly rang out, louder than them all.

"ICE ROD!"

In an instant, in response to its owner's immediate command, the tip of Red's Ice Rod glowed a sharp, fierce blue, and from its end sprouted a sudden, massive blast of icy-cold frost. Waiting until Blue had put the beast off-balance enough to keep it from recovering, Red had moved to jump in front of the beast. And while its wide-open, yawning mouth- of several rows of the hundreds of teeth larger than he was- scared him witless, he kept his feet planted firmly in the sand, not allowing it to scare him away from his duty. With a grin, his Ice Rod was held out in front of him- the blast of magic rocketing straight in front of him.

With hardly a second to react to Red's presence, as it struggled to keep from toppling over, Scorpidae instantly reacted by flinching backwards, the blast of ice spreading over the front of its body and forming a thick layer of freeze over its jaws and sealing its wide-open claws shut with ice. Though the beast was gigantic- possibly the biggest thing they'd ever faced against- even it was slowly being worn down, as Blue continued to slice away at its legs, and Red's frost kept its ever-open mouth sealed with ice, and its intimidating, deadly claws shut tight, frozen over with frost.

Frantic and enraged by slowly being subdued by both its imbalance and its frozen-over claws, the massive insect monster continued to squirm and thrash about in the sands, the sandstorm around it rising in its equalized fury. And yet, though Blue had its balance control under control, with Red keeping its front half from attacking- the back half of the titanic beast was still thrashing and lunging around freely- most importantly, the dual-edged stinger at the tip of its tail. No longer curved overtop its back for mere show, the tail was instead now extended as far out as it could go, lunging in all directions as it desperately tried to slice and sting at anything it could touch.

As Blue and Red continued to run through the sands, trying to keep up with the frantic movements of the insect and continue their jobs, so Scorpidae's tail continued to thrash and lunge around, twirling around in the air and then suddenly slicing forward, aimed for a particular Link-

With a loud, metallic clink, the tail was suddenly jerked off to the side, its attack intercepted before it could reach its target by a sudden projectile. His eyes narrowed in concentration, his bow raised and another arrow already docked and ready, Vio backed up a few more steps as he let another arrow fly towards the tail of the beast. As if it had a mind of its own, the massive double-bladed stinger suddenly jerked backwards, lunging forward towards the boy which had attacked it.

Gritting his teeth and quickly lowering his bow, Vio shouted out as he rolled off to the side, dodging the attack- the stinger instead slamming into the ground, sand flying up all around it from the vibrations. This was the last thing he had to get under control- its stinger. Soon enough, Blue's attacks would make the beast fall, and with Red's Ice Rod freezing its mouth and claws, it would be unable to fight back as Green moved in to land the final blow. All that was left was to make sure its tail was kept incapacitated and distracted until it finally fell. Once more throwing his bow back up at his shoulders, Vio quickly and expertly fitted another arrow to his bow, letting it fly off the tight string of his bow and soar through the air at the tail once more.

This time, the tip of the arrowhead buried itself deep within the thin space between the plates of exoskeleton, near the tip of the tail. Instantly, the tail lashed around in pain, the arrow digging deep into its body in between its natural plates of armor.

Without hesitating a beat, Vio ran forward, narrowed eyes still set on the lashing tail, and once more rose his bow. Two, three, four more arrows zinged through the air as he aimed for the lashing tail- and finally, as the tail jerked back and forth, another arrow soon met its mark. This time, its aim was much closer to the base of the stinger- and Vio watched with a satisfied smirk as the arrow nearly disappeared in between the plates of exoskeleton, instead striking the fragile and delicate body within.

The result was instantaneous- as the beast was struggling to keep its balance with Blue continuously slicing away limbs, and fighting back against Red's Ice Rod-holding attacks, the sudden pain as the arrow dug through its nerves in its tail and sent shocks of pain down its entire body. Almost having a paralyzing-like effect through the insect's entire body, Scorpidae shrieked in agony, spasms running through its entire body.

Its threshold had been broken- and, with little else to go on, the legs beneath it slowly began to buckle, its tail writhing wildly around in the air behind it, and its claws and mouth frozen shut in front of it. After what seemed like an eternity, the beast slowly began to topple forwards, its balance and defense lost, beginning to fall to the sinking, swirling sands...

Keeping his Ice Rod aimed and continually-blasting at the beast's mouth and claws, Red grit his teeth as he dodged and ran to the side, evading the quick shadow of the falling monstrosity. However, Blue was not so lucky- and, looking up in panic, found himself trapped beneath the growing shadow of the monster...

In an instant, a hand had grabbed Blue by his wrist. Jerked along by Vio's pull, Blue raced alongside his friend as the two ran out from underneath the slowly-falling monster. It was Vio's second task- to make sure Blue got out from underneath the monster before it fell- and he wasted not a second after his final arrow had met his mark to run up to the beast and get Blue out from underneath.

And as the colossus finally slammed down on the ground once more, the two Links under the beast's shadow rolled quickly out of the way, slightly stumbling from the massive vibration running through the ground at the beast's fall, but safely getting away nonetheless.

Almost seconds after the beast had hit the ground, quicker than either of the Links could have acted-

Glistening against the light, Green's Four Sword, held high in the air and tightly in his grasp, soared through the air along with its wielder as Green found his leverage on the beast's frozen, incapacitated claws. His narrowed, determined eyes were focused and intense- watching the entire battle take place and each part of the plan unfold, he'd waited until the right moment came- and had made sure he'd been in the exact place- and finally taken his part. Red kept the beast from attacking, Vio helped Blue get out from under the monster- and now, it was his turn.

Leaping overtop of the monster's claws, and running the length up its limb, Green ran faster than he had ever gone, his sight focused on one thing, and one thing only- the bright, large green eye on top of its head. And when it finally came into view, sitting wide-open on top of the scorpion's carapace and staring up at the ceiling above-

Grasping his sword in both hands, Green's breath caught in his chest as he ran forward and jumped upwards, his jaw set into a firm grin and the tip of his blade thrust downwards towards its target-

Lunging forward and upwards as it broke free of the ice and its legs found grip in the sands beneath it, Scorpidae suddenly screeched in terror and wrath as it suddenly stood upwards and jerked its entire body backwards, leaning back and thrashing about in the air.

Red's eyes widened as he gasped, stumbling backwards in surprise.

"GREEN!"

Blue and Vio, who had run up alongside Red, joined in with their friend as they cried out for their leader, who they could no longer see as the giant scorpion monster thrashed wildly in front of them.

And yet, as it writhed in pain and agony in front of them, a small, dull green glow was beginning to spread from its back...

Soon, the entire beast was radiating a strange, green glow, and its err antic, thrashing moments began to slow down until they finally ceased, the glowing-green insect frozen in place...

The sands all around them had stopped in mid-air, and as the green tint faded to a brown around the scorpion, the monster itself seemed to be fading into thin air, shoots of light peeking in through and around it...

And, in a sudden instant, the form and figure of the gigantic Scorpidae monster burst apart into hundreds of thousands of grains of sand, scattering in an instantaneous explosion and blasting out in every direction. The sands once swirling around the room now fell to the ground in one, sudden motion, the storm ceased in an instant and leaving the now-empty room in a wide, open silence.

Half-buried in the sands that fell, and coughing what grains had made their way into their lungs, Red, Blue, and Vio all shook their heads, brushing the grains of sand out of their eyes and helping each other out of the sands. Blinking, each of the three, once they had been freed of the sands, turned to look to where the gigantic creature had once stood...

... As the dust was settling, a single, solitary figure could be seen in the distance, kneeling down by the sands.

Without hesitation, the three Links, shouting out the name of their leader, ran up to the lone boy in the center of the sand-filled arena.

Engrossed in a coughing fit, though with one shaking hand still gripped firm and tight to his sword, Green was doubled-over as he knelt on the sands, his eyes shut tight against the sands and his free hand rubbing the sands out of the corner of his eyes. As the others ran up to him, each wrapped an arm around his shoulder, helping him to stand and regain his balance as his coughs finally slowed, and his eyes blinked open.

"Hey! Green! You okay, bud?" Blue asked, looking at Green worriedly as he held onto his friend's shoulder, keeping him stable.

Coughing once or twice more, Green shook his head and managed a wry grin, blinking and looking through wincing eyes at the others. "Y-Yeah... Ah... I'm fine. Just a little sand in my eyes..."

Vio couldn't help but grin as he also helped Green to stand, shaking his head in light humor. "Just a little sand, eh? Well, I suppose that's all that _thing_ is, now." He smiled and gave their leader a nod. "Well done."

"Yeah! That was awesome, Green!" Red cheered as he danced around them all- with a Link on each shoulder of their leader to help him regain his balance, he was merely happy to jump up and laugh in excitement, cheering on their victory. "And Blue, and Vio! And me! We all did great!"

Finally regaining his balance and with the sand all out of his eye, Green gave the others a grin, nodding in thanks and in a silent signal that he could now stand on his own. In response, Blue and Vio let go of him, and the two moved to stand around each other once more, exchanging excited grins.

And yet-

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to rumble, and the sands resumed their hissing as they started to slide around in the room...

Blue's eyes widened. "What the hell?-! I saw the damn thing explode!" he shouted, panicked at the thought that the fight was not yet over. About to topple over, Red yelped as he grabbed hold of Blue's arm to stable himself.

"Everyone just stay calm," Green snapped, suddenly and instantly back to business as he looked down intensely at the ground, keeping his balance. Looking to the side, he blinked as he noticed the walls... moving...?

"The sand... it's lowering," Vio commented in brief surprise, looking around them as they slowly began to sink downwards, the walls rising around them as the sand slowly started to drain out of the arena.

Still a bit uneasy, the four Links looked around them as the sand they stood on continued to lower... and lower... until, blinking in quiet surprise, each of them found their boots sliding against a firm, smooth surface beneath the still-draining sands. Finally, the sands stopped- and though a few scattered grains remained slumped around the room, it was otherwise completely drained, a smooth, stone surface lining the bottom.

And yet, the room's drained interior was not the thing that caught their attention or surprise- instead, there was something right in front of them that had not been there when the room was full of sand, and the four children stared in confusion and awe at the massive, crumpled heap of machinery standing in front of them.

Each of the Links slowly walked towards the strange, new object, examining it from all sides to see what it was. It was an incredible piece of machinery- stone and steel combined to form an extraordinary heap of... something. The Links frowned, unable to recognize the heap of broken mechanics as an object. Whatever it was, it was disassembled- broken beyond recognition.

And yet... as a soft, green glow began to radiate from behind them, even the strange machinery was not as important as the glow, and the four Links turned around, eyes wide as they stared at the source of the glow.

In a smooth, firm alcove on the floor, seated firmly in the strangely-shaped hole, lay a small, glowing stone. Its green glow was warm and inviting- and, though it was a few paces away from them on the floor, each of the four could clearly see its intricate and cleanly-carved design: that of three teardrop-like spherules which melded at the center, yet three individual points looking up to the sky.

As the four Links gathered around the stone looking down upon them, three eyes eventually looked up, smiling at the last pair.

"... Well? Take it, Green."

Blinking, Green looked back up from the Element situated in the floor, to the three who stood around the stone, all smiling at him.

Vio's arms were crossed with a smirk on his face, and Blue grinned, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you've earned it this time around," he said with a bright grin.

Red could hardly contain his excitement, and couldn't even speak he was grinning too widely. However, his nod and eager eyes were all Green needed to understand- and, smiling calmly, gave a nod back to the others.

"... Alright." Green grinned. "If you guys say so," he teased. The others laughed good-natured-ly, and, smiling warmly, Green turned his sights back down upon the Earth Element. Bending down, he let his fingers wrap around the smooth surface of the stone, and carefully lifted it out of its hole.

As soon as he had stood up, lifting the Earth Element in his hands as he did so, the green glow emanating from the stone had spread and engulfed all of Green's form, nearly blinding the others as they instinctively shielded their eyes from the bright light with their hands. And as the light slowly faded, each of their hands lowered and their eyes blinked open, their gazes falling upon the calm, standing form of their friend.

The one who had been content with the name of Green continued to stare in quiet wonder at the softly-glowing Earth Element in his hand- though as it hit him, he blinked in surprise a few times, staggering back once as the wave of emotions, thoughts, and memories flooded over him in quick succession. The others moved quickly, standing behind him and ready to catch him if he fell- yet he quickly regained his senses, shaking his head and standing firmly in his own.

Slowly, his wide eyes fell over each of them in turn.

And finally-

"Jeez, can you stop _staring_ at us like that? It's getting creepy," Blue grumbled, the first to break the silence as he pouted in mock-jealousy, knowing just well- from their past experience in Death Mountain- what had just happened.

And as Red grinned sheepishly, Vio sighed and shook his head- and Green broke into a wide grin, and started to laugh.

"Blue... Vio, Red! Guys! I... I can't believe it..." Shaking his head and laughing, Green looked at each of them in turn, slightly shaking his head as if hardly believing any of this was happening.

Just like Red...

He... He remembered, _everything_... Who he was, and the life he had led. The role he served in their previous adventures, as the Four Sword Heroes... and the friends he'd traveled with. He was Green, the leader of the Four Sword Links... While he may not always be sure of himself... and while he would always worry and try to make sure the others were always safe... He knew when decisions had to be made, and he would make them, unafraid and confident in himself and in his friends- ready to dive into the darkness of uncertainty and lead his friends through.

Squealing in excitement, Red instantly jumped up and wrapped his arms around Green, hugging him tightly and babbling on about their memories and now that he'd remembered everything. Vio and Blue, despite themselves, couldn't help but roaring in laughter as Green awkwardly stumbled back, giving a weak grin and trying to politely pry Red off of him.

However...

Their laughter and talking was soon droned out by a low, deep noise, which rumbled through the wide, empty cavern and shook the very ground.

Instantly jumping backwards in surprise, the four Links looked around in wide-eyed surprise at the strange vibrations deep within the temple.

Blue's eyes flew open. "The... the temple! It's sinking..." he found himself gasping out in shock and surprise, taking a step backward in disbelief. Were... were they too late? After all they'd gone through... was it all going to suddenly end?

Though the same worries were also flooding through Green's mind, he grit his teeth past the fears, instead taking a step and snapping firmly, "Stick together, guys! We'll find some way out of-"

_"... Links! Heroes! Can you hear me?"_

Interrupted by a strange voice, Green suddenly blinked and looked around for the source of the new voice. And, he noticed with surprise, so did the others- had they heard the voice, too?

_"Answer me! It is I, Kaepora!"_

The voice came again, and as it addressed itself, the four instantly recognized it.

"Yes! Kaepora! We can hear you! Where are you?" Green found himself shouting, still whirling around to try and find the great owl. But it was no use- the empty room continued to vibrate, growing worse and worse by the moment.

_"The temple is sinking! Gather together, four heroes, so I may teleport you out of there! Hurry! You've not much time left!"_

Suddenly, Vio spoke out.

"Wait! We... we found something down here!" he shouted firmly, looking to the side at the heap of machinery. "I... I think it's important," he said, looking seriously over at Green. "We _can't_ leave it."

Green hesitated. Kaepora could teleport them out... But the temple was sinking... However... He looked back at Vio's firm glance, and nodded.

"Kaepora... we need to take this with us," Green said aloud to the empty room, nodding to Vio. He trusted his friend- he was the smarter one, he knew, he _remembered_- and he would be wise to heed his advice, memories or no memories. "Can you teleport us, and it, too?"

There was a small pause, where all the Links could hear was the rumble of the Temple as it continued to sink beneath the sands.

Finally-

_"... I will do what I can. Quick! Gather around it!"_

Hurriedly, the four Links ran over to the crumpled mess of machinery, each gathering close around it and placing their hands somewhere on the heap.

"We're ready! Kaepora!" Green shouted loudly, his eyes widening as the vibrations grew louder and louder, stronger beneath their feet, and vicious cracks in the walls' surface were already beginning to slice across the room... _"Get us out of here!"_

_"Hold on!"_

Shouting together as the walls around them finally exploded, sand pouring in from all sides and spilling into the room, the Links clung tight to the pile of steel and stone, their eyes closed tight and their muscles braced for impact, as the world around them suddenly began to fade and swirl around in confusion and disorientation. Holding on tight, the Links continued to scream as their entire world was flipped upside-down, in and out, and over sideways- and finally, as the temple sank beneath the depths of the sands, everything turned to darkness.

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><p><strong>...Anyone care to take a guess at what it is the Links have found? ;)<strong>

**Anyways. Here's hoping Kaepora was able to get them out in time!**

**But unfortunately-**

**Tomorrow's chapter _may_ have to wait for a day or two, while I drive back to Texas. :/ I hope to be able to catch up when I get back and upload more than one chapter at once, but then again, it's up in the air at the moment. Hope you all can understand. ^_^'**

**Either way, don't forget to keep alert for the next installment: Chapter Twenty-Two, _Qualm_!**


	22. Qualm

**Hey guys! Sorry again for the small delay in updates. Real life got a bit hectic there for a moment, but here's for continuing with daily updates! :)**

**Still curious about that machine the Links found?**

**Well... We've got one more thing to take care of before we go on that. ;D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Two:<strong> Qualm

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><p>The warm rays of the sun, lighting up the landscape of the quiet town, had all but faded as night set over the silent, massive towers. Leaving behind the goldenrod streams of light, the sun had sunk deep below the horizon, and the cold, cool light of the moon had replaced it as a beacon in the sky, though joined with the multiple dots of glistening stars in the sky. It was much cooler at night than it had been at daytime- but temperature alone was not the only reason why the boy had ventured out when the sun had set.<p>

His calm- almost morose- maroon eyes looked up at the white light of the moon, and drifted outwards to the endless expanse of stars as they shone and sparkled in the dark curtain of the night sky. They were lights, yes- but not the bright, harsh, unforgiving glares of the sun. Instead, wrapped in the embrace of night, only lit by the calm and soft glow of the pale, white moon, the boy felt calmed and almost at home, lying on his back on top of the smooth, cold surface of the tower's stone roofing and gazing up and outwards into the night sky.

A soft, contemplative frown was written over Shadow's face as he idly traced the stars in the sky with his eyes, looking from one to the other- though, eventually, his eyesight led him back to the brightest light of them all- the large, round surface of the moon. So much had happened... And he still was unable to figure it all out. He felt as he was, lying there on the top of the castle and looking up at the massive, seemingly endless sky- the stars, the lights, were all up in front of him and shining brightly, but there he lay, bound to the ground, unable to reach them. Just as the memories hung in the back of his mind, taunting him with the mysteries they held- though always just out of his reach.

However... As a star might fall from the sky, so a brief memory had become freed from the dark prisons of his mind's confines, and, like a shooting star blazing across the night sky, had briefly illuminated his thoughts with its revelation. Sighing, Shadow closed his eyes, removing his crossed arms from behind his head and instead letting the back of his head rest against the cool stone beneath, his folded, dark hat resting at his side. It was merely a few seconds... Hardly a memory, so much as a brief flash... But it was something. And as he lay down on the castle, he closed his eyes as he thought back to it once more- his eyes even struggling as they were shut tight, as if trying to dig out any more information from the memory he'd found.

_... He was lying on his back, the cold, damp stone sending chills down his spine from beneath him. It was dark... but not pitch-black. A dull light shone from somewhere, lighting the room around him only slightly... But just enough so he could make out where he was- a large, empty room of stone- and... more importantly... the four figures who stood around him in a small circle._

_Their concerned, saddened expressions looked down upon him... and though their faces remained clouded, nothing would have hid away the intensity of their four sets of blue eyes, looking down with despair and heartbreak at him as he lay on the ground. One of them said something... and he was faintly aware of him responding, and perhaps even a small, bittersweet smile coming across his face..._

_... Who were they? What had they said? ... What had **he** said?_

_And yet, as they fell silent around him once more, his eyes slowly began to close..._

...No! _No_, damnit! I want to see more! _More_!

_The sight of the room around him began to fade... And lastly, as the memory was lost away once more, the last thing he could see were the eight blue lights, the four sets of eyes looking down upon him in sorrow..._

Sighing in frustration, Shadow pushed himself back up and ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes and massaging his aching temples. There was where the brief, deceptive memory had ended- and try as he might, he could see no further than what had been given to him.

Grabbing his loose-fabric hat, Shadow sighed as he looked down in resigned frustration, setting it back over the blackened locks of hair on his head. The memory itself would say no more to him- and perhaps even more frustrating than the memory itself, was when he had experienced it. Shadow ground his teeth in disgust as he remembered just when the memory had flashed across his sight- the moment that pathetic little hero had spoken to him. The smaller one, in red clothes... Who'd called him their...

He hesitated. He could hardly even bring himself to think of the word, much less say it aloud. Grinding his teeth again in fury, Shadow sighed as he shook his head, forcibly shaking the thought out of his mind. Instead, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, the boy frowned as he looked back up at the night sky, trying to return his thoughts once more to the spaces outwards...

... A small silence drifted around the tops of the towers...

And yet, in a few seconds of this silence, a small, wry grin began to grow at the corner of the boy's mouth.

Without another second's hesitation, Shadow snarled as he whirled around, lashing out with his fist in an instant, sending a massive blast of purple-and-black shadow magic exploding outwards from his hand.

With a ruffle of feathers and a flurry of hooting, the bird which had settled down on the roof some feet away instantly rose upwards, trying to evade the blast- yet crying out in brief surprise as another side of its tail feathers became lightly singed by the dark magic. Flying around the boy- yet only to land on the other side of him- the owl perched once more on the roof, ruffling up its feathers indignantly and hooting loudly.

"_Hoot_! ..._Well_, now! There was no call for _that_!"

Shadow snorted, following the movement of the owl with his narrowed eyes. And as it landed and protested against him, he simply scoffed and retorted with a smirk, "_Payback_, Feathers. You got me in trouble at work, today, y'know that?" After he'd escaped from the sinking Earth Temple, Shadow had teleported back in later, expecting to find the trapped heroes... and yet, they were gone- along with the secret 'prize' left at the bottom of the arena. Shadow shot a sideways, accusatory glance over at the owl, raising an eyebrow and grinning.

Sighing, the owl hooted once more and shook its head. "I do believe we've been over this... It's _Kaepora_... please," the wise owl pleaded quietly with another sigh, looking sideways over at the young boy- for the moment, dodging the accusation in favor of trying to set straight the confusion.

However, Shadow merely grinned, leaning back against his elbows and looking back up at the sky. He glanced once over to the owl- then, shrugging, returned his gaze up to the stars. "Heh. Whatever you say, Feathers."

Kaepora sighed again in defeat- though said nothing more about the issue, instead allowing himself to stand quietly next to the boy, his gaze joining with the others' as it drifted upwards and into the skies. However, he responded quickly to the boy's earlier question, "I'm afraid if I hadn't, Hyrule would be in pretty poor shape right about now."

Shadow's grin disappeared, and he instead scoffed quietly under his breath. "Guess we can both agree on that," he muttered dryly with raised eyebrows, looking out across the ruins of Castle Town.

He'd figured as much, that it had been the owl who had saved the Four Sword heroes from the depths of the temple. As far as he was concerned, they should not have survived the ordeal- his trap had worked perfectly, and the heroes were inside when the temple began to sink. Of course, this explanation had worked as a perfect excuse when he relayed what had happened to his superiors- what else could Shadow have done? He did exactly what he said he'd do- trap the heroes in the temple as it sank. It wasn't his fault if someone else intervened.

Once more, Shadow looked sideways over at the owl- especially if that "someone else" was a giant, meddling bird. It was odd, really... This wasn't just the second time the owl had come to see him. In fact, Kaepora had payed Shadow many visits since the last time they'd met- and while the owl had been constantly evading Shadow's attacks, eventually the boy had put up with his presence- and now, he hardly cared to keep trying to scare him off.

Smirking, Shadow crossed his arms and gave a dry laugh, snapping over at the bird with a grin, "Try something like that again, though, Feathers, and I'll trap you in my hat and roast you over an open fire."

"Oh-hoh, will you, now?" Kaepora replied, hooting in quiet amusement. "I'm afraid as a 'good guy', I won't taste so well, my friend," he added cleverly, his eyes almost smiling in response to the boy's harmless threat.

Shadow scoffed. Normally, he'd blast the damn bird for calling him that- especially after what had happened so recently- but, still reveling in the mysteries of recent, he instead remained silent, looking back out amongst the stars.

The owl, it seemed, almost frowned- noticing Shadow's lackluster response to a normally well-intended stab at his ever so important pride. Ruffling his feathers slightly, the owl rose up once more in the sky, half-flying down a few paces until it stood next to the boy's head. Shadow had, lying his interwoven fingers behind his head, once more laid down on his back over the roof, gazing up at the stars.

And, for a while, the two were silent, each joining in each other's presence and looking up at the night sky. The stars were still, as was the calm, cool night air- and though seconds stretched on for hours, it seemed like days before one finally spoke.

"It's funny you should mention that, you know," Kaepora hooted quietly, looking down at the boy beside him- though not quite moving towards or away from him. Opening an irritated eye, Shadow looked at him in confusion and annoyance. Shrugging as best as an owl could shrug, Kaepora looked back outwards once more and continued, "Your hat, I mean. I wonder if you've yet noticed, how you look similar to the heroes themselves? And not just your garb, either- if I'm not mistaken, you all share the same face- or at least, very similar ones."

Frowning- though his look of irritability instead replaced with one of quiet muse- Shadow sighed and opened his eyes, looking out at the stars- and then back at the owl. Trying to shrug it off, he grumbled under his breath, looking back out at the sky. "...Your point?"

Kaepora was quiet, and several seconds passed before Shadow, sighing, finally gave in and added with a grudging look, "Yeah, I've noticed. What do you take me for, blind? I just..." He blinked as his voice trailed off, and, gritting his teeth, mumbled as he looked off to the side, "...There are a bunch of explanations for that. I'm not about to bother myself on thinking about why." He closed his eyes, biting his tongue in the back of his jaw. Did he even believe that, himself...?

Surprisingly quiet, the owl hooted simply in response, remaining silent as it sat by the boy.

And as the silence stretched on, it was occasionally filled with quiet words between the boy and the owl- small conversations passing between them here and there. Once or twice a joke was even exchanged, and some quiet laughter followed. Though he would rather kill himself than admit it to anyone else, Shadow had rather grown somewhat close to the owl- who had appeared to him many times over the past few days and had served as someone to talk to. The great bird, for as much as he was a talker, was also a great listener, and remained quiet as the boy talked, speaking about anything that came to mind. In times where he was expected to respond, the owl did so- and when he was to remain silent, so he did, standing quietly beside him, serving as merely a pair of ears willing to listen to the child's words.

The night grew later and later as the small child and the great owl lay on top of the roof, though neither seemed to tire of the other's presence.

Eventually, however, as the silence grew and the boy had stopped talking, Kaepora had ruffled his feathers, venturing forth to speak once more.

"... Do you truly still believe you will regain your memories by killing the Heroes?"

Shadow's eyes opened in surprise. He cast a glance over to the owl- and, sighing, turned back towards the stars. Sitting up, he leaned forward, laying his crossed arms over his bent knees, and set his chin on his arms.

"... I dunno," he finally answered, his brow furrowing as his gaze was torn away from the peaceful stars, and down to the cold, rough stone of the roof below him. Sighing, he shook his head, looking angrily back out across the land, muttering through clenched jaws, "But, y'know, I figure... There's gotta be _something_ I can do to get 'em back. And as far as I know... that's the only thing that'll do it."

"Why are you so sure of this?" the owl answered back curiously, though kept his gaze out across the calm, serene landscape of the night sky.

"What are you, stupid _and_ blind?" Shadow sneered, looking back over at the bird and raising a fist. Instantly, a ball of twisting, pulsing shadow magic burst from his fingertips, swirling eagerly around him. As if he were brushing a fly away, the boy idly waved his hand aside- and, in an instantaneous reaction, a piece of the stone roof beside him was shattered as the dark magic eagerly followed his command, lashing out from his fist and exploding the roof beneath him. A thin trail of smoke was all that was left at the spot where the stone had once been, drifting idly upwards into the sky.

Kaepora had, for the duration of the ill-guided attack, remained silent and still. There was no need for him to talk- instead, Shadow's blazing, furious red eyes had glared back at the owl, his lip curling in abhorrence.

"See that?" the boy snarled, pointing an angry finger at the destruction a simple flick of his wrist had brought. "The dark magic I can summon, command- order to _kill_ anything I want? Go ahead, 'wise bird', _tell_ me that's something a 'good guy' should be able to do," he snapped angrily, still staring in fury at the owl's words. Though he wasn't mad at the bird himself, all the pent-up anger, and his own doubt at the center of those words had exploded at once, and he couldn't help himself from shouting out the words he'd taunted himself with for so long.

"I'm _evil_, alright?-! The _bad_ guy! Memories or not, I can't deny _what I am_!"

The night was silent, though Shadow's shout still echoed faintly across the towers. His teeth were clenched and his chest lightly heaved, his narrowed eyes staring in fury and hatred at the owl in front of him. And though his eyes burned, he refused to believe what was building there, and instead quickly blinked the wetness away, swallowing away the words that he had finally managed to get out.

Sighing, keeping his eyes closed, the boy looked away, and his head hung between his shoulders. His next words were quiet- almost a sullen, defeated whisper.

"... _Look_ at me. I'm a creature of _darkness_- anyone can see that. You _can't_ ignore that fact, Kaepora. ... And neither can I."

There was silence once more between the boy and the bird- though this time, the air between them was filled not with tension, but with a quiet, dismal sorrow.

Finally, it was the boy himself who spoke, his moist, burning eyes blinking open and his jaw tightening in fury, looking down at the stone roof beneath him.

"... Stop it. I know... I know how you're looking at me... you're pitying me. Well, I don't want your damn pity. Stop it."

Still, Kaepora was silent. His calm, silent gaze had stayed on the form of the boy as he had raged and then fell silent. Tilting his head curiously, the owl merely hooted back, "I'm sorry? I'm not quite sure I under-"

"_Stop it_!" Shadow roared, turning around in sudden fury, his burning eyes wide open- yet narrowed in hatred at the bird. "Stop pitying me! I can see it in your eyes- in _their_ eyes... damnit!" Swearing loudly again, Shadow shut his eyes and put his hands on the sides of his head, wincing as if in great pain. The owl's eyes... the four sets of blue eyes... the eyes of the young hero dressed in red... They had all looked at him... in pity... He hated it... He _hated_ that they looked at him like that, as if they knew something, and he knew nothing. As if he were someone to be sympathized with...

As the boy fell silent once more, trying to calm himself down, the great owl sighed, hooting once before moving to speak once again.

"I wonder if you are aware... that the four heroes had also lost their memories."

Shadow snarled, his eyes shut tight in disgust. He ran the palm of his hand over his forehead, his fingers running through his dark hair before falling back down on the stones. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?" he snapped back, looking over his shoulder at the bird. He knew about it, of course- Veran and Onox had told him about how they had cursed the heroes in order to try and slow them down.

"Well..." Kaepora started, but then trailed off. Finally, as Shadow raised an eyebrow at him, giving him an irritated- though confused and interested- glance, the owl sighed and continued. "... Two of them have already regained their memories."

The boy blinked, unaware that his breathing had suddenly stopped.

"..H... How?" was all he could manage to choke out, hardly even hearing the sound of his own strained voice.

A soft smile came across the wise owl's beak, and its gaze looked back out towards the stars. "Apparently... each element they retrieve is restoring their memories. Quite fitting for Heroes of the Four Sword, wouldn't you say?"

Shadow's breathing returned, and he closed his eyes in quiet defeat.

"... Then I suppose it only follows that I gotta kill 'em to get mine back," he mumbled, joining the owl in looking back out at the night sky. "They're heroes... and I'm..."

"You're what?" Kaepora asked, an almost amused tone in his voice as the owl looked back at the boy, who then returned a surprise glance. For a moment, no one spoke- until the owl added with an almost smug voice, "You know, you could very well have kept them from finding it."

Shadow blinked in mild surprise. However, he quickly recovered, looking off to the side and muttering under his breath, "... I don't know what you're talking about, Feathers."

"Oh? Somehow, I find that hard to believe," Kaepora continued, hopping closer to the boy and leaning over to look at him, despite how the boy avoided his eye contact. "It's broken, yes, but you let them find it, all the same. I wonder why...?"

"Shut up!" Shadow snarled, flicking his fist over towards the owl- whose wings fluttered as it quickly jumped backwards, avoiding the half-hearted attack. Shadow's eyes trailed to the ground, and, feigning an indifferent stare, shrugged as he muttered, "Yeah, so I knew it was there. So what? It's not like they'll be able to even know how to use it. Hell, not even Veran and Onox could get it working again." He then darted his eyes accusingly towards the owl. "Unless, of course, you ruin my plans again, you little ass."

The owl chuckled, apparently satisfied by the small confession- and hardly bothered by the accusation. "Of course," he answered smoothly, "And you thought I wouldn't?"

There was silence once again.

Finally, Shadow answered.

"Oh, shut up," Shadow snapped, sneering as he once more aimed a jab towards the bird. The owl hardly had to jump aside to avoid it, but the boy shrugged and grinned. "They're fun to watch squirm," the boy answered with a laugh, "I'm just gonna see how far they can go, given a chance. Play with 'em a little longer until I get bored."

There was a small pause again between the two, as the owl eyes the boy skeptically- not sure if he was ready to believe his explanation or not. Finally, however, the owl shrugged, hooting simply, "Very well." And yet, looking back out to the sky, the great bird ruffled its feathers as it spoke once more, "... I must go back to them, now."

"About time. Good riddance," Shadow grinned, resting once more against the roof behind him, his arms crossed lazily beneath him. "And here I thought you'd never leave me alone. Maybe now I'll get some peace and quiet around here."

"Oh, come now! I'm not _that_ terrible company, am I?" the owl hooted indignantly in response.

Shadow merely grinned. "You have _no_ idea. My only consolation is that those four poor saps are stuck with _you_ for a 'guide'."

The bird grumbled in disgruntled response, ruffling its feathers in its hurt dignity as the boy leaned backwards, holding his sides and roaring in laughter.

Kaepora was quiet for a moment after the boy fell silent, still looking out to the skies. Finally, he spoke once again.

"... You were correct earlier, Shadow. You cannot deny what you are. However... Everyone has the choice to make their own decisions, decide for themselves the life they wish to lead. Whether or not you believe you are 'fated' to be evil... All I can tell you is this. The only one who can decide what you will do... is _yourself_."

Shadow frowned, his eyes narrowing in frustration and looking off to the side.

And lastly-

With a glint in his eyes, as the bird raised his wing, preparing to lift off, Kaepora hooted once more to the boy-

"...And your next decision lies just outside Kakariko Village. ...Try not to be late."

His angry expression suddenly changing to that of a shocked and confused one, Shadow blinked in surprise at the other's words. Instantly, he sat up, his head whirling around to look at the owl- but it had already gone. His eyes trailed up after the form of the great bird as it rose into the sky, the sounds of its flapping wings filling the empty silence of the night. And as it flew away, gradually growing smaller and smaller in the distance, its image eventually faded away into the blackness of the night.

Shadow frowned as he watched the bird fly away. Had he just told him... no, he couldn't have. Why would he? Shadow was the bad guy, the enemy, if he knew where it was, then...

Lost once more in thought, the boy sighed as he bent his knees, leaning forward on them and looking again out into the starlit night sky. He had so many questions... he could hardly settle his own internal turmoil, much less decide to do with the mission still ahead of him. And all his questions tore at him... His own single, regained memory, and the regained memories of two of the heroes... The mystery behind his past, Kaepora's words of 'fate'... And lastly, his own decisions, laid out before him.

And yet...

For now...

Shadow sighed once more.

For now, he was content to stay sitting atop the roof of the castle, watching in silence the stars overhead and the glowing, bright moon as it slowly rose to its peak in the sky.

* * *

><p><strong>More Shadow angst! Well? What do YOU think? Is he destined to be evil, being a creature of shadows? <strong>

**Or is Kaepora right... that despite whatever fate might have already been decided for him, that he alone holds the key to his own decisions?**

**Our Links' adventures continue in tomorrow's next step, Chapter Twenty-Three: _Contest_!**


	23. Contest

**Hey guys! It's time for Chapter 23! :)**

**Just a bit of a heads-up for ya'll: We've already gone through 22 intense chapters of action and drama, so I've decided to calm things down briefly and have some fun. :) Ergo, these next three chapters will be a bit more relaxed and laid-back, and therefore will focus more on humor and fun than drama or suspense. Please excuse any and all cheesy jokes or very lame references. :P **

**Anyways, let the fun begin! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Three:<strong> Contest

* * *

><p>As night passed and the sun rose, the four heroes were once again up and ready for their next challenge- and yet, instead of charging forward once more, the four boys were instead stuck- stuck, that is, staring helplessly at the pile of seemingly useless junk they'd found at the bottom of the Earth Temple.<p>

Vio had been carefully examining the heap, frowning as he tried to figure out exactly what its uses were, while Green talked with Kaepora about where they had to go next. Blue, impatient as always, was off rambling while Red tried to get him to calm down.

Finally, the four rejoined by the heap once more, Green nodding to the owl who had spoken with him one last time before looking back at the others.

"So? What does the stupid thing do, anyways?" Blue huffed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently.

"And more importantly, where are we supposed to go next?" Vio added, raising an eyebrow. "I don't suppose we have much time to simply stand around here. We still have two elements left to find, before Veran and Onox get to them before we do."

Green gave a sigh, and a weak smile as he spoke, "Well, I've got good news, and bad news. The good news is what we've found..."

At this, he turned and put a hand on the mechanical mess. Smiling, he looked over his shoulder at the others, saying, "You were right about this being important, Vio. According to Kaepora, this is the legendary Sky Cannon. When it works, it'll take us to the Sky Temple up above the clouds, where the Air Element is."

The others couldn't help but raise their eyebrows in quiet surprise as they looked at the crumpled mess in a new light. The pieces of the cannon had been so disassembled and jumbled together, it had been nearly impossible to make out what it was at first. With that in mind, it wasn't long before the smartest one of the bunch quickly pointed out-

"How are we supposed to use it if it's broken?" Vio asked, frowning.

"That's the bad news," Green sighed, shaking his head. "There's no way we'd be able to fix it. It's way too complicated for us. And it's the only way to get to the Sky Temple, too."

"Well, _great_. What the hell do we do now?" Blue snarled, his arms still crossed.

"Why do you four think I transported you all here?" The quiet, calm voice of the great owl spoke up, and the four looked to the side, their attention drawn to where he was perched on the branch of a nearby tree. Kaepora's head tilted and his feathers ruffled slightly as he hooted, "Kakariko Village is just over that hill. I am sure you will be able to find someone there who might be able to fix it."

Surprisingly, Red was the first to pipe in, saying brightly with a grin, "Hey! That's a great idea! And while we're there maybe we could have some fun!" Jumping up, he started rambling on about shooting galleries, petting zoos, bombchu bowling, fancy restaurants-

Finally, fed up, Blue snorted, raising a fist and bonking Red on the head. Dizzy, Red grinned as he stumbled back and fell into Vio's annoyed arms, the calmer Link shooting an irritated, disapproving glance over at Blue.

Sighing and shaking his head, Green smiled as he said, "Sorry, Red, but we won't have time for any of that. Kaepora's right- we've got to get this cannon fixed as soon as possible."

"As I already told Green," the owl hooted again, causing the others to look up at him, "That cannon is the only way to get to the Sky Temple. Not even Veran and Onox will have been able to get to it, yet- but I fear, every moment we waste is every moment they are looking for this cannon. You must fix it and use it before they can get to it first."

"Then it's settled," Vio said simply, nodding as he let Red stand on his own again.

"This better not take long," Blue growled under his breath, still dissatisfied with the whole ordeal.

Red, hiding behind Green from Blue, grinned as he said with a nod, "Yeah! Let's go!"

Sending a nod Kaepora's way, Green smiled as he looked back to the others, nodding once more. "Alright then, to Kakariko Village!" he said with a laugh, as the others gathered back together, turning to walk over the nearby hill towards the quiet, calm town.

* * *

><p>Gasping, the four heroes burst through a nearby door, a small bell jingling as the door opened. Nearly falling on top of each other, the four children lay on the ground for a second, their eyes wide and their chests panting in exhaustion.<p>

"'Calm and quiet town', eh?" Blue finally snorted, pushing himself off the crumpled heap and brushing off his tunic, standing and looking back at Green with a furious gaze. "What the hell was that back there, then?-!"

As the others untangled themselves from each other, Green sighed as he, too, got up, shutting the door behind him and shaking his head. "Oh, shove it, Blue. How was I supposed to know it'd be this busy?" he snapped back with a frown of his own, rubbing a small bump on the back of his head and his eyes darting out towards the door they'd recently came through.

As Vio helped the smaller Red up, the four heroes sighed as they turned to look around the building they'd practically fallen into. The outside streets had been so packed and bustling, it caught the four children off-guard and by surprise. They'd been bumped, jostled, and nearly separated on more than one occasion by the crowded streets. What was so dang important, they all wondered, that they hardly had an inch of breathing room simply walking down the streets?

"... Eh? Customers?"

Shaken out of their thoughts from the town outside, the four Links blinked and looked towards the new voice which had spoken. Near the back of the small, somewhat cramped room- filled with strange mechanical parts of all shapes and sizes- was a small counter, with a short, somewhat stubby man sitting behind it, his elbow resting lazily on the countertop and his chin sitting on the palm of his hand.

Upon seeing the children enter his shop, the man leaned back, stretching his arms lazily out behind him before once more slumping back down on the counter, eyeing them lazily before asking them once again in his deep, somewhat dull voice, "Oh, just kids. Y'know, this ain't the toy shop, boys."

Sensing Blue's rising fury, Green quickly put a hand on the other's shoulder and stepped in front, giving a weak grin. "Oh, we know, we're not looking for anything like that," he replied, shaking his head.

Vio, however, had been more interested in the parts lying around them in an unorganized, disarrayed state. While Red was looking at each strange part in curiosity, stepping forward, Vio asked with a calm and cool voice, arcing an eyebrow, "I assume you're a mechanic of sorts?"

"Yup. Fado's the name, machines are my game," the short man, his messy hair falling over his eyes, answered with a lopsided grin. "Why? Whadda four kids need a mechanic for?"

Looking back at Fado, Green smiled kindly. "Actually, we have something we need fixed. It's a cannon- and not a small one, either, a really, really big one," he explained quickly. "Could you do something like that?"

Fado paused for a moment, thinking it over as he rubbed his chin with his thick, somewhat grubby fingers. Finally, shrugging, he answered with a smirk, "Eh, I guess I could fix it up for ya. But if it's as big as ya say it is... That'll run ya'll just 'bout, oh... 300 rupees, I 'magine." His mouth spread into a wide grin once more as he leaned back in his chair, laughing bluntly, "That shouldn't be a problem for four li'l kids like yerselves, eh? Just pool your allowance together! Ha, ha, ha!"

The returned stares of the four boys were blank.

Finally, with their leader unable to keep him quiet anymore, Blue stormed forwards, pushing past the others and slamming his fists on the table, roaring in fury, "_Three hundred rupees?-!_ Are you _kidding_ me? Does it _look_ like we'd be able to afford that much?-!"

As Green and Vio tried to restrain a still fuming Blue, the short man behind the counter simply laughed, unfazed by Blue's rage.

Finally, as they were able to calm him down, the three heroes turned to each other, calmly trying to discuss what they had to do next-

"... Hey, guys, what if we won _this_? Then we'd have enough, right?"

Blinking, Vio, Blue, and Green turned to the side, looking in confusion over at Red.

Walking back from the door, with a paper flyer in his hands he'd taken off the shop's window, Red looked up at the others with a grin, holding it out in front of him. Quickly snatching it out of his hands, Blue looked over it furiously, while Green and Vio read it out loud from behind.

"'Hero's Tournament,'" Green read slowly, his brow furrowing in concentration as he continued. "'Come see the heroes of Hyrule battle together and face numerous difficult challenges... Competing for the Grand Prize and the title of Champion of Hyrule.'" He raised an eyebrow over at Red, confused.

However, it was Vio who smiled, pointing out the tag at the bottom. "'Teams of up to four may enter,'" he read, laughing quietly as he understood, "'1st place is awarded the Grand Prize of... 300 Rupees.'" Smiling, he shook his head, looking over at Red. "So this is what you meant, right?" Red nodded, grinning widely.

"Think about it!" Red chimed up, causing the others to look at him. "We'd probably win that, no problem! And who knows? It might even be fun! We kinda do need a break from all this saving-the-world stuff, too, don'tya guys think?"

"Wha, y'mean the championship thing they're havin' today?" Fado asked with a yawn, eyeing the flyer with a limited, dull interest. However, he chuckled, shaking his head. "There ain' no way four kids could win that thing. But... Eh, you've got the concept right, at least. Win that, and I'll fix yer cannon for the prize money."

Green sighed. "I dunno, Red," he said, shaking his head. "It's a great idea, sure, but Fado's right. We'll be up against some pretty fierce competition, and-"

Suddenly, interrupting him with a loud noise, Green blinked as Blue slammed the flyer down on the table, leaning in and giving the mechanic a bold, wild grin.

"... We'll _win_ this thing, damnit. Just you _watch_."

Sighing again, Green put his palm over his face as Vio gave a smirk, and Red started jumping up in excitement. There was no convincing Blue otherwise, now- they each knew that.

With another grin, defying the man's unimpressed smirk, Blue snatched the flyer back away, turning around and running to the door. Laughing, he called out over his shoulder to the others, "Well? Come on, guys! We gotta go now if we wanna get there in time!"

Raising an amused eyebrow over at Green, Vio gave an expectant smile. Finally, Green returned the smile with one of his own, shrugging and walking after Blue. Laughing quietly and shaking his head, Vio walked after his leader, with Red still chasing after the enthusiastic Blue as he ran out the door and down the crowded streets.

"... This should be interesting," Vio commented with a grin, Green sighing and laughing along quietly as the two followed after them, closing the door of the workshop behind them.

* * *

><p>"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! Boys and girls of <em>all<em> ages!"

The announcer's voice was loud and booming as it shouted above the roar of the crowd, bringing in the start of the games.

"Introducing your teams for today's Hero Championship! Over in the north corner we have..."

As the announcer continued to speak, introducing the other teams, the four Links were instead getting together on their side of the large, round arena. As Vio continued to talk to the others about strategy, Blue and Red hardly able to keep their excitement, and Green trying to keep them all in order, the voice of the announcer was nearly droned out- that is, however, until it said one particular thing.

"... And lastly, our newcomers, in the south corner- Team Link!"

Their team name called out, the four heroes blinked in brief surprise, looking outwards and upwards to the crowd, sitting in the benches of the massive, wide colosseum.

"What the hell?-!" Blue shouted, whirling at Green and fuming. "_I_ said we should be Team Super Epic Awesome _Kick-Ass_!"

"I for one had voted for Team Delta," Vio pointed out with a huff, "for obvious reasons, of course."

"Well, why didn't we go with Team Heroes?" Red whined, looking over at their leader and tugging at his sleeve.

Green merely smiled and looked away.

The announcer continued. "Now, ladies and gentleman, it is time for the first challenge! One members from each team must stand up to participate in each round. For our first challenge, we'll be going with the all-time favorite: the classic _gladiator_ fight!"

The crowd roared in reaction to the news, and the four Links looked at each other, while the announcer continued to excite the audience.

It was obvious to them all who should go, but before they could even get a chance, he stepped up, grasping his Four Sword tightly and grinning.

"... Let me at 'em, guys," Blue said with a wild, proud laugh, swinging his sword fearlessly in front of him. "This one is _all_ mine."

"Go get 'em, Blue!"

"You've got this one!"

"Make us proud!"

The other three Links cheered Blue on with wide grins and eager faces as he grabbed his sword and shield and ran forward into the center of the arena, ready for battle.

And yet, surprisingly, Red was the first to stop cheering- instead falling instantly silent. When the other two looked at him, he merely raised a finger and pointed to the center of the arena. The others followed his gaze- and fell silent, staring with open jaws at the competitor which was storming slowly to the center of the ring, walking right up to Blue.

"... He's _so_ dead."

"Yup."

"Poor Blue..."

Blue's eyes narrowed, and he gave his trademark, unafraid grin up at the competitor which faced him. Laughing and twirling his sword effortlessly in his hands, he taunted up at his opponent, "Aw, why do I have to get the big, _fat_ one? Hope you're more of a challenge then the _last_ pig I faced."

Looking down through two metal slits, the reply only came as a low growl, deep within the chest of the massive, armor-plated general. Nearly his entire, massive body was covered in thick, glistening metal armor, and in one hand he held a giant, oval shield- in the other, a double-bladed axe. The massive armored knight, clad like a general, stood nearly three times Blue's height, looking down at the child who looked like he could fit in one of his arm-guards.

"Let the games... _begin_!"

As a massive cannon-shot went off to start the fight, another explosion soon rocked the arena- that of the giant General roaring and lunging forward, taking a large step forward and swinging his axe instantly forward at Blue. And as his friends covered their eyes from the sidelines, Blue's eyes instead glinted mischievously- and, leaping forward, met the axe's swung, slicing his own sword straight against the curve of the axe. The metal on metal made a sharp, shrieking sound as they struck, and yet...

The entire crowd watched, wide eyed and gasping aloud, as the small child held his own against the General three times his size, the axe and sword pressing against each other- each side wavering, but neither giving up.

His boots slid back, he walked forward, and slid backwards again- Blue's grin had twisted into a determined, fierce snarl as he looked up at the intimidating General, beads of sweat forming on his face. Though he was strong for a boy of his size and age, the General was strong as well- and he knew, he could not keep up the limbo for much longer.

Finally, giving another laugh, Blue made his move. Jerking one of his hands off the hilt of his blade, it instead whirled around to his back- and, as the General tried to swing forward, thinking Blue off-balance for taking a hand off his weapon- Blue lashed out from behind him his shield, slamming its side against the moving blade of the axe. The General, not expecting the appearance of the shield, stumbled back as the swing of his axe was stopped- and Blue seized this instantaneous moment to act.

Rolling quickly around the General, using his smaller size and greater speed to his advantage, Blue swiftly moved to the side of the giant opponent, leaping upwards and backwards, gaining some distance between the two. The crowd once more roared in approval for the clever, advantageous move, and Blue, grinning even wider with them, laughed as he took another step back, expertly twirling his sword in front of him in another mock to the General.

"Aw, whatsa matter? Can't squash a little kid?" Blue teased with a sneer, once more taking another step back- all the while watching the General's move as it slowly turned, its massive, iron metal plates heaving and jostling with every step. Armored-wise, his opponent was a tank- and he knew, even if he didn't show it, that there would be no point to attacking him head-on, or even trying to attack him from behind. No... Here, he'd have to do things a little differently. He laughed again- still, he'd be able to bring down this General.

However, the General suddenly stopped in its advance, standing a few paces away from the boy. Blinking once in confusion, though quickly regaining his stature, Blue snarled as he looked at the General. What was he planning...?

With a roar, the General suddenly let Blue know- as he twirled his axe once in his hand, and then jerked his fist forward, letting go of the handle at the last moment. Blue's eyes shot wide open- and, shouting out, threw up his shield. He was a split second in time, and was knocked to the ground, the breath shoved out of his chest as he hit the sand-covered floor, as the blade of the axe slammed against his shield. Groaning, blinking the sand out of his eyes, Blue looked up, just in time to see the axe suddenly fly backwards, into the waiting, open palm of the General.

Blue's eyes narrowed. _Son of a bitch..._ he thought, snarling. _His axe is connected to his hand with a chain. ... Hmph. Shouldn't be a problem for you, Blue. Yeah, you were caught off-guard once, but you can bet your ass it's **not** going to happen again. Get up!_

The crowd had reacted uproariously to the sudden and unexpected long-range attack of the General, and, staggering to his feet, Blue quickly brushed it off, his eyes narrowed and shot fiercely at his opponent. So he had an ace up his sleeve, huh? Well, that wasn't too much of a problem. After all... so did he.

"Ah, I see. Too scared to attack the child directly, so you gotta do it from afar," Blue sneered, backing up another pace- this time making sure to keep far enough to evade the length of the axe's chain. Looking back up at the eyes of the General, Blue grinned. "What, is that why you wear all that armor? 'Cause you're too chicken to face a kid a third your size? Jeez. This is gonna be _too_ easy."

And that was it.

Screaming in fury, no longer taking the child's insults, the knight lunged forward, once more swinging out with his axe- hardly caring that it could not reach far enough to reach him. And yet, this was exactly the opportunity Blue was looking for.

Laughing, Blue rolled forward at an angle- and, at the right moment, jabbed out with his sword. And everyone suddenly grew silent as they watched with wide eyes what had just happened. Even the General himself was blinking, wide-eyed, and looking at just what Blue had done- the tip of his sword was stuck firmly between one of the links of the axe's chain.

Once more, Blue's eyes flashed, and a devilish grin grew at his face.

"_HA_!" Shouting out and laughing at the same time, Blue wasted not a second more as he flung his arm to the side- and, stumbling forward, the General could only watch as the chain was jerked out of his hand and his axe went flying off to the side, eventually landing with a thump on the ground and sliding a few more feet away.

The unarmed Knight blinked, still frozen in shock.

And yet, Blue was _hardly_ close to being done.

Laughing once more, Blue took advantage of the pause of the General as he ran back up to the massive armored knight- only this time, leaping forwards and then to the side as he ran to the backside of the General. Grinning massively, Blue swung his sword expertly at the heavy armor- but not at its surface, or even in any attempt to wound him. Nope- instead, he watched with glee as the blade of his Four Sword sliced clean through a thin latch on the side of the knight's back armor.

Grinning, Blue merely had to leap back and watch- as the General suddenly whirled around to look beside him, his eyes wide as the lower plates of his armor suddenly became unhinged, and fell to the ground with a clank- exposing and showing to the rest of the audience his red and white, polka-dotted briefs.

Though they had been silent at first- now the crowd erupted in loud, uproarious laughter, the audience nearly falling over themselves as the General stumbled to reaffix his armor, suddenly aware of all the eyes on him. And beside him, with a wide grin on his face and apparently very proud of himself, stood a beaming, mock-innocent Blue.

Finally, finished savoring the moment, Blue grinned as he raised his sword once more, gripping the hilt firmly and laughing beneath his breath.

Without waiting a second longer for the General to regain his lost pride, Blue lunged forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement and his blade raised-

And, in an instant as Blue ran straight up to the knight, he stopped- standing in front of the General, he looked up at him, grinning, his sword held behind his back. Suddenly, however, he brought his hands out from behind his back- but it sure wasn't his sword in his hands.

Instead, wasting not a second longer, Blue swung his heavy, strong hammer forcibly out in front of him, striking the General straight in its armored chest. Staggering backwards, still off-balance from this earlier, the massive, armored giant made one last groan... before finally toppling over backwards, slamming down flat on his back on the ground.

The crowd was silent.

Grinning, Blue walked simply up to the fallen giant. Easily, he kicked the knight's dropped shield off to the side, and, without any further ado...

...Jumped right on top of the General, walking a few steps on its giant armored chest-plate until he was looking straight down at his helmet. With a wide grin, Blue pulled out from behind him his shimmering, sharp Four Sword- and aimed it straight downwards, pointing its tip right at the throat of his enemy.

And the audience erupted once more in cheers and applause, as the winner was declared.

Grinning from ear to ear, full of humility (and himself), Blue turned around and bowed once or twice to the crowd.

From behind the sidelines, his three friends were cheering and laughing, jumping up and down and waving their arms over at Blue.

Blue bowed a couple more times to the crowd before hopping of his defeated foe, running back to the others with a grin.

"And _THAT_," he said proudly, shouldering his hammer and grinning to the others, "is how it's _done_!"

Clapping their friend over his back and laughing, the other three Links grinned and nodded, congratulating their friend on his win. Pumped and ready for the next challenge, the four heroes gathered round each other together once more, unafraid and waiting for the next round to start.

* * *

><p><strong>One round down, three to go! ;P Again, I apologize for some of the more cheesy jokes (along with the classic "pull down his pants and laugh at him" bit -facepalm-), but I just wanted to have some fun here in a small side-quest, before we go on with the next half of the fic. ^_^<strong>

**Hope ya'll are excited for tomorrow's installment, Chapter Twenty-Four: _Challenge_!**

**P.S. The General Blue faced was a very direct reference to the General Class in Fire Emblem. x3 Complete with axe-chain weapon! Whoot!**

**Also- Despite how badly I wanted to keep it in, I took out a part where Blue gets roses thrown at him once he wins. xD I felt that might be crossing the line just a tad. x3 Oh well! **


	24. Challenge

**Our heroes continue onward with the next round in the Hero's Tournament! :D**

**Hope you're all ready for some more laughs and excitement! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Four:<strong> Challenge

* * *

><p>With a massive upheaval of water and an ear-shattering scream rocketing through the wide, large arena, the massive, scaly beast once more roared in fury as it dove back underwater, the rest of its long, serpent-like body crashing through the churning waves around it and back in the waters. Gasping for breath and his boots slipping on the wet, slick rock pillars which stood only a few feet above the water, Vio's eyes were wide and frantic, though also calculating and focused as he leapt from pillar to pillar, keeping his eyes on the next step in front of him- yet also keeping in his sights the massive serpentine beast as it screeched and dove in and out of the water around him.<p>

"You got it, Vio! Kick his ass!" Roaring from the stands of the coliseum, Blue leaned over the rails as far as he could, shaking his fist and grinning widely over at his friend in the center of the water-filled arena. And standing next to him were Red and Green- the first biting his fingernails nervously and the other, his eyes narrowed in focus as he followed his friend's every movement over the treacherous, thrashing waters.

Whining, Red shrank back next to Green, looking down at their friend in concern, and watching the massive sea serpent monster dive in and out of the water, chasing it with its massive, toothy mouth wide open and lunging at him at every turn. When the second challenge had come up- that of a sea battle- he didn't think it would be this… dangerous. Vio had been ready and eager to take the challenge…

"It's all about strategy," he had said with a calm, confident smirk, pushing aside the others and volunteering for the second round of the competition.

And yet, now, Red was not so sure- and continued to bite his fingernails, wincing and crying out for his friend every time his foot slipped, or the fangs of the sea monster crushed into the stone just inches behind him, missing him by a hair's breadth. And though Blue cheered along with the crowd, Green was quiet with him- though he could see him gritting his teeth and watching after their friend with both worry and determination.

Looking down over at Red, Green forced himself to give a weak smile. "Hey, it's alright, Red," he said with a small laugh, trying to reassure his friend, looking back out at the arena. "Vio knows what he's doing."

However, as the determined, calculating Link leapt for the next pillar-

Bursting once more out of the waters and sending a spray of white foam splashing all around him, the massive sea serpent roared and screeched as it once more lunged upwards at Vio- yet this time, it had appeared from right in front of him. Startled, Vio hardly had time to gasp before he was forced to react- and, his feet slipping on the rock beneath him, only managed to stop himself just in time before he would have hurtled straight into the beast's wide, open mouth. Instead, trying to stop himself as he landed before he leapt to the next pillar, he'd found himself slipping- and could not prevent his momentum from carrying him forward across the slippery rock, his feet flying up from beneath him and sending him falling back on the rock.

The breath was knocked out of him as his back slammed against the cold, wet rock of the pillar, but, gasping to regain his breath, Vio ignored the small setback, instead keeping his face hardened and determined as he backed away from the serpent's wide-open mouth, his eyes wide as he looked up at the massive, awaiting jaws of the beast.

And yet, as he lay there, looking up at the opened jaws of the serpent… there was a quiet hush which fell over the arena, and the tension built as the beast continued to hiss, its mouth open and gaping right in front of the fallen Link.

Looking quickly up, Vio's eyes shot up towards the serpent's face, though hidden behind its opened jaws. He could only faintly see one of its eyes- it seemed almost frozen, a pale, glazed-over white haze floating in its iris. Vio blinked. That was it!

Slowly and carefully, as the audience remained deadly silent and as Vio faced the unmoving, yet still hissing serpent, his arm slowly raised, reaching behind him…

"What's he doing?" Blue snarled, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he leaned over the rail.

Green, however, had smiled, his eyes lighting up and nodding slightly in understanding. _Brilliant_…

And as Vio pulled out from behind him his bow, the boy, still half-lying and half-sitting on the slippery rock beneath him, grinned quietly as he docked an arrow to his bow…

And, in one quick motion, the boy tore off from his head his dry, purple hat, moving the end of it right in front of the arrowhead of his weapon. Without a second's longer delay-

The twang of the arrow flying off the string of the bow broke the silence of the arena, and, with wide eyes and loud, audible gasps, the audience watched as the arrow flew swiftly at its master's command- until, finally, the arrow made another sharp sound as it struck against the arena wall opposite of the boy's location. Vio's hat, still dangling from the arrow, flapped lightly from the movement, hanging on the arrow as it was lodged on the tip.

The result was instantaneous, as soon as the arrow had been fired- with a loud roar and a hiss, the massive serpent beast had whirled around, following the whir of the arrow as it flew through the air, and the clink it made as it sunk into the cracks of stone on the side of the wall. And as the purple hat had flown right by its blind eyes, though its sight went unnoticed, the motion itself was enough- and, erupting from the waters once more, the sea snake, alerted instantly to the distraction, whirled around, hissing and screaming and lunging after the arrow.

Grinning, and wasting not a second longer, Vio scrambled to his feet, his eyes set on the fleeing serpent, its body snaked in and out of the water…

Taking a deep breath, the Link closed his eyes…

From the stands, Green's smile had faded, and he blinked once, his jaw slowly falling open.

"… He _wouldn't_…"

"What?-! What wouldn't he do?" Blue shouted, still lost as he looked at Vio in fury. And yet, Red's eyes were also widening in shock as he was beginning to understand just what his friend had planned.

Once more, Vio's eyes flashed open, and he grinned.

Quiet yet with a bold, confident smirk on his face, the hero ran forward, leaping off the rock pillar beneath him once more. Yet this time, his aim was not towards another pillar- but out to the center of the water-filled arena itself. His eyes were narrowed, calculating and focused- and, still grinning, he gasped as he felt himself come to a sudden, harsh stop, his feet landing on the slick, slippery surface of the sea serpent's snake-like back. The monster had, upon sensing the movement of the arrow and the hat, dove back in and out of the water as it swam to the other side, chasing after the distraction. And, with only a second's time to prepare himself, Vio had, without fear nor doubt, leapt straight onto the snake's back.

However, here was where his control ended- and, his eyes flying open wide, he gasped as he waved his arms wildly around him, trying to keep his balance as he feet slipped and slid on the slick, wet surface of the snake- and, soon enough, found himself sliding down the arced back of the snake. The audience roared in approval behind him, but he could not let this distract him- and instead, his eyes still narrowed in determination, he regained his balance as his momentum carried him down the snake's back, crouching into his slide and leaping at the apex peak of the snake's curved back.

The serpent, for its part, had reached the other side of the wall, and, lunging forward, had dug its fangs into the wall where it had seen the distraction move. Yet, screeching in pain and fury, its teeth only meeting stone, the snake jerked its head back, shaking it back and forth as it tried to get the chunks of rock taken in its bite out of its jaws. The arrow still hung on the wall with the dangling hat- but it was all too late that the monster realized his mistake.

For, flying up from behind him, jumping off the coiled sea serpent's back and swinging down his sharpened, shimmering Four Sword, Vio shouted out in victory as he landed right on top of the beast's head- and, in the same, swift and fierce motion, plunged the tip of his blade deep into the top of the sea serpent's head, crouching down as the sword sinking nearly half-way into the beast.

Screeching and thrashing backwards in an instantaneous reaction, the snake had no chance left after Vio's devastating, lethal attack- and, as it continued to thrash, writhe, and whirl around in agony around the arena, the boy quickly withdrew his sword, landing nimbly on the stone pillar near the side of the arena wall. Calmly, brushing off the sides of his tunic- which he had so painstakingly and impressively kept dry thus far- Vio stood up, turning and looking over his shoulder as the serpent continued to screech and wail.

Giving a small smirk, Vio turned around and reached over, unhooking his hat from the arrow. Shrugging idly, also brushing off the cloth of his hat, the Link turned around to look once more at his fallen enemy-

And blinked.

"Oh, for _crying out_-" the boy snarled, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

But before he could get out another word, as the serpent finally fell, defeated, into the water of the filled arena, the massive explosion slammed another massive wave through the ripples of water… And, stuck smack dab in its way, Vio could only stand, not given hardly a second to react, as the massive wave splashed over the boy, drenching him as he stood and spilling over the pillars of rock surrounding him.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the beast fell, but as the water also began to settle, standing on the wet, stone pillar was Vio, drenched from head to toe and holding his equally soaked hat, shaking in quiet fury and looking at the rest of the world with a look of pure, venomous death.

And when everything had been said and done, the arena drained and the four Links reunited…

Vio had, not saying a word, calmly walked over to the smallest one of them, the one who had suggested the whole damn thing. He was quiet and calm, though his icy-hot stare of death incarnate was fixated on his face, and, taking the drenched hat off his soaked bangs of hair, calmly lifted it over Red's weakly grinning face- and sharply wrung it out, spilling all of its water over the smaller boy.

Not a word was said from Vio as he snarled quietly, putting his wrung-out hat back over his drenched head of hair and turning around, walking quietly away. And while Blue leaned back, nearly falling over and holding his sides from laughter, Green sighed and shook his head though smiling, with Red whimpering, hiding behind Green from Vio's stare of doom and darkness and death.

* * *

><p>"Aaaaalrighty, fans! Two rounds down, two left to go!"<p>

The announcer's loud voice once more boomed over the roar of the crowd, the arena cleared and the teams gathered together again for the next challenge. Vio, with a small towel wrapped over his neck and hanging over his shoulders, stood alongside Blue near the back of the arena- as the two had already gone, they could no longer participate in the next two rounds. Green and Red would have to be the next ones participating- and while Vio's calm, though still icy stare showed he was just fine with that, Blue, on the other hand, kept growling beneath his breath and muttering how unfair it was that he couldn't fight anyone anymore.

Finally, the four Links watched as a massive, covered cage was being wheeled in front the exit of the arena, moved to the center of the coliseum, with the announcer finally introducing the third challenge.

"For the next challenge," came the loud, energetic voice, "Each member of a team will have to face…" And, in an instant, the massive tarp which had been covering the cage was jerked out, and a massive roar burst forth from behind the cage. Instantly, the metal screeched as it was rattled by massive, hooked claws, and the light flashed against the wide open fangs of the creature as it lunged against the walls of its cage.

Landing back down on four nimble, furry paws, the yellow eyes of the lion narrowed in rage as it began to pace the outer reaches of its large, circular, roofed cage, looking out at the audience with a quiet, trembling rage.

"This terrifying, man-eating lion!" the announcer roared on, and the crowd reacted instantaneously with cheers. "Our challengers must defeat this creature, or last five minutes in the cage! Whichever team can complete this challenge will move on to the next round!"

And as Blue once more fumed and shouted out angrily about not being able to compete, Green smiled, turning to Red and putting a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder.

"I'll take this one, okay, Red?" he said with a comforting nod. "It might be a bit too… er… too much for you, y'know?" He glanced back over his shoulder, wincing slightly as the lion once more roared, lunging ferociously against the side of the cage. There was _no_ way he was about to send Red in there…

And yet, strangely, Red's eyes had been focused intently on the cat as it prowled and jumped in its cage, ignoring nearly everything else around him. And yet, when Green spoke, his eyes widened, and he shook his head vehemently. "N… No! I… I can do this one, okay, Green?" he insisted, looking back up at his friend. Though the giant cat was scary… something was telling him… _he_ had to be the one to take this round.

"Are you _insane_, Red?" Blue shouted at them from behind, his eyes having gone wide with surprise upon hearing Red speak up. "You wouldn't last five _seconds_ in there, much less five minutes!" Storming up to them, his hands balled into fists and steam practically coming out of his nose, he whirled around angrily on their leader. "I'm against this! Green, tell him!"

"Blue, _enough_," Green snapped, narrowing his eyes and silencing the other instantly. He crossed his arms firmly- and Blue, biting back his remarks, fell silent.

"Please, Green? Don't worry about me, Blue. I promise, I… I know what I'm doing!" Red chirped up, remembering what Green had said from before about Vio, and looking to his friends with his pleading, eager eyes.

The eyes of the two Links, those who had regained their memories and remembered their past adventures together, looked at one another…

And slowly, sighing, Green nodded, putting a hand to his forehead. "Alright," he said, shaking his head and giving a defeated sigh, "Go ahead."

Jumping up excitedly, Red wasted not a second more as he turned around and ran eagerly towards the lion's cage. And as Green walked back to the others, Vio rose an eyebrow in curiosity at their leader, while Blue fumed.

"What the hell?" he snarled, bristling over at Green. If his fists curled any tighter, their leader noted in quiet surprise, his knuckles would turn white. "Green! You just sent Red to go fight a _lion_?-! What were you _thinking_?-!"

"I trust him," Green snapped back, unafraid and quick. "And so should _you_."

Quietly stunned, Blue blinked in surprise, having no response to Green's words. Instead, the three slowly turned around to walk back to their station- though Blue looked quietly over his shoulder as Red took his place in front of the cage's gate, awaiting the challenge to start with a small, yet somehow knowing, grin.

"Five minutes! Your time begins… _now!"_

The gate swung open and Red gasped as he was shoved inside, stumbling briefly before regaining his footing- and yet, not a second after he did, the gate slammed behind him shut, the metal reverberating all around him. And as his breath caught in his chest, Red stood, staring wide-eyed, at the hungry, infuriated yellow eyes of the lion which had moved to stand right in front of the small child.

Slowly, the massive jowls of the great cat parted and lifted, a guttural growling sound vibrating off its furry, protected throat as its fangs glistening menacingly in the light. The crowd roared, and Red gulped as he took a step back, nervously raising his shield in front of him.

"Uhh… hey, Mr. Lion… Maybe we could, uh… Talk this out?" Red asked with a weak grin, backing up against the metal of the cage.

And yet, crying out in surprise, Red suddenly had to duck and run off to the side, rolling out of the way just in time as the lion leapt, roaring, its claws digging into the metal bars of the cage, right where Red had been standing.

"Damnit!" Blue swore loudly, watching from the sidelines with a rising fury. "Red doesn't stand a chance!" he growled low under his breath, his eyes narrowed in fury- but also in a quiet sort of fear.

"O-okay, maybe not," Red said with a weak grin as he stood back up, circling around the lion as it dislodged itself from the chain. And yet, as it did so, turning around and settings its bloodthirsty sights on the boy…

Red blinked, lowering his shield for a moment in surprise. Had he just seen… what he thought he just saw? The lion, snarling and lowering its head, slowly continued to prowl forwards after Red… though as its claws scratched forward, eagerly kneading the sand beneath him, the boy knew, it would not be waiting any longer.

… But that was okay with him. He didn't want to wait any longer for what he had to do, either.

And, bursting forth with another loud, terrifying roar, the massive lion, nearly twice the size of the small child it faced, leapt forward, its jaws open and its mane flying intimidatingly behind it as it flew through the air, towards the small Link.

The crowd gasped- and as the three Links waiting on the sidelines strained forwards, their eyes wide as they tried to get a good look at their friend… time seemed to stand still as the small, brave Red made his move.

Grinning, Red had ducked down, putting away his shield and leaving himself open, only holding his sword. And yet, as the lion sailed through the air, its massive paws outstretched and claws hooked and ready to tear, the boy instantly rolled forwards, keeping close to the ground and letting the claws fly just over top of him. And yet, before the lion could fully pass over the boy, Red instead narrowed his eyes in fierce determination as he twisted around, lashing out and upwards with his sword at the neck of the passing lion above him.

And yet, as the sword made a slashing, metallic sound, slicing through its mark, the crowd suddenly went silent at what they saw.

Rolling off to the side, unharmed and unscathed, Red gasped as he regained his balance, turning around and looking over to the lion to see if his plan had worked.

As the great cat had landed, however… something else had landed right beside it, falling uselessly to the ground with a sullen, metallic clank, rattling once or twice as it finally settled calmly across the sand and stone floor.

Its yellow eyes widened, and its lips pulled back in fury, the massive lion took a step back, looking at the object in realization. Still snarling, the beast lowered its head to the object, its leathery nose twitching slightly upon examining the object and its round, fuzzy ears swiveling forward in interest.

Though Red's sword had sliced clean through it, cleaving the iron collar clean in half, there it lay, still relatively intact: a thick, metallic hunk of metal, curved into the shape of a collar. And yet, more interesting than the collar itself was what was lined around the edge- dozens of small, yet sharp, silver-bladed knives stuck out from the collar, protruding towards the inside of the metallic cuff. Small dabs of red liquid were evident on the tips of some of the knives.

Red's eyes lit up, grinning as he realized he was successful. The painful, attack-inciting collar was off of the beast's neck- it no longer kept its tight, piercing grip on the neck of the lion. Standing up and brushing off his tunic, Red gave a relieved sigh, smiling warmly at the cat as it slowly turned around to face the boy in the ring.

Quietly snarling, padding over to the boy once more, the yellow eyes of the beast looked up at Red…

And, without another word, huffing from deep within his chest, the massive cat turned around and, calmly, walked over to the other side of the cage. The crowd erupted in boos, but Red stood there, grinning, as the cat refused to fight him, instead settling down and lying down calmly on the sand on the other side of the arena. It was nonchalantly licking its paws, its tail twitching slightly, ignoring the disappointed shouts from the audience and instead calmly lying its head down over its massive, fury paws.

The three Links watching from the sidelines were speechless, looking at Red with incredulous, wide eyes.

Finally, Green found himself laughing quietly, shaking his head- still in wonder. "How the heck did Red _know_…" he muttered to himself, though smiled as he looked up at his friend- and, beaming, Red exchanged the grin, flashing to his friends a thumbs-up.

"You know… How odd it may seem, I've noticed something like that as well," Vio added quietly, nodding his head and looking out towards the arena, where Red merely waited with a bright grin for the rest of his five minutes to run out. When Blue and Green looked over towards him, Vio merely shrugged, saying, "That Red has a greater intuition than the rest of us do. A sense, if you will, for peoples' intentions or things like that."

The others, reveling in Vio's words, turned back in silence as they looked back towards Red. Though Blue was silent, his teeth were clenched back of his jaw, his eyes narrowed in confusion and slight guilt over at their smaller, yet somehow stronger, friend. Perhaps… perhaps he _had_ underestimated Red.

The announcer once more came over the booming loudspeaker, declaring Red's time up and his victory in the contest. While the audience boos were replaced by cheers- some excited at the win, some disappointed at the lack of action- Red was beaming all the same as he practically skipped out of the arena, running back towards his friends.

"Guys, guys! Did I do well? Huh? Did I do okay?" the bubbly Link asked with a giant grin as he ran up to his friends, looking at all of them with wide, excited eyes.

Green smiled, opening his mouth to speak-

"Red, you moron, that was _amazing_!" Blue suddenly shouted out, laughing as he jumped forward, wrapping an enthusiastic arm around his friend's neck and messing Red's hair up with his fist. Grinning sheepishly, but also proudly, Red looked up from his friend's chokehold at the other two.

"One contest left," Vio said with a quiet smirk, as Green smiled and nodded. Releasing Red from his half-hug, Blue also looked back at Green- and Red's gaze also followed their leader.

"Guess that means I'm up, huh?" Green finally answered with a laugh of his own, returning the expectant looks of the others with a light-hearted, though determined grin. "Great. How the heck am I supposed to live up to _those_ three performances, huh?"

"I admit, it won't be easy," Vio answered smoothly with a grin.

"Heh, I _dare_ you to try and upstage MY awesome challenge," Blue issued with a loud, wild grin.

"I know you'll do great, Green!" Red bawled in excitement, latching onto his friend's arm eagerly.

Laughing and nodding at them, their leader gave one last grin before saying, his eyes proud and fierce, "Alright, then, guys- let's _finish_ this!"

* * *

><p><strong>Whoot! After two more impressive performances by Vio and Red, we're down to just one competition left!<strong>

**What do you think it will be? ;o **

**Find out in tomorrow's chapter, concluding the events of the Hero's Tournament and the Sky Cannon side-quest, Chapter Twenty-Five: _Conquest_!**

**P.S. Do not get Vio- or his hat- wet. You have been warned.**


	25. Conquest

**The last challenge awaits Green in the Hero's Tournament! Will the Links be victorious?**

**Read ahead to find out! ^_^**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Five:<strong> Conquest

* * *

><p>The crowd once more roared in approval and anticipation as the next round was prepared, and the final contestants were being readied for the next challenge. Though a bit nervous, Green shook his head of his doubts, clearing his mind and instead focusing his thoughts and determination on winning the final round- though, he admitted anxiously, he'd never done something like this before… And, gulping past his fears, looked down with slight concern at the leather reigns in his hands.<p>

"It is time, ladies and gentleman, for the _final_ challenge in the Hero's Tournament!" the announcer shouted, the crowd reacting loudly as the voice continued. "After three intense challenges, we are now left with _three_ finalists! And the final challenge… a chariot race, to determine the winner, once and for all!"

"Yeah! Leave 'em in the dust, Green!"

"Knock 'em dead!"

"Show them what you've got, Green!"

From the sidelines, leaning over the rails and waving their arms, the three other Links cheered on their friend as he stood in between the other two competitors, trying to keep his balance on the small, one-man, one-horse chariot beneath him. Giving a weak grin, their leader looked back over at his friends, nodding once to them before looking back out across the arena in front of him.

The large coliseum was a perfect place for a chariot race, Green thought interestingly, as they had set up an inside rail, and let the outside become a track for the horses and the chariots to race across. It was simple, really- no obstacles or monster to fight, just a simple, dirt track to race across. _Heh… maybe this won't be so hard, after all,_ he thought with a smile, looking to the side at his competitors. He was one of the last three who had made it to the final round… And the other two, both adults- one dressed in some sort of mage outfit, the other armed to the teeth with spiked shields and armor- hardly gave Green a second notice, instead staring determinedly ahead at the track.

"The first to clear three laps wins!" the announcer continued on, as the beginning of the race drew closer and closer. "If a competitor falls on the ground, they're out! Oh, and there's just _one_ rule…" The crowd grew silent.

"… There are _NO_ rules!"

And as the crowd roared, Green blinked in surprise.

"Racers! On your mark!"

_Oh, crap,_ Green thought, gritting his teeth grimly and gripping the leather reigns in his hands tight.

"_Get set!"_

And in an instant, the two competitors on either side of him burst forward, their horses whinnying in excitement as they begun. Green's jaw dropped in shock- they… they'd started earlier! They'd _cheated_!

And yet, the crowd roared in laughter and cheers, as the announcer also laughed and shouted- to the last racer still standing at the line- "Go!"

"_Crap_!" Green cursed to himself, gritting his teeth and instantly snapping into action as he leaned forward, whipping the reigns in his hands and urging his horse onwards. Like the others, his horse instantly bolted forwards, neighing loudly as it lunged forward, pulling the small chariot with the boy in it behind him. Though Green was slightly put off-balance by the jerking motion of the moving chariot, he quickly regained his momentum and composure, leaning forward and urging his horse forwards and faster to catch up to the two who had already gained a good, two-second head start on him.

_No rules, huh?_ Green thought with a grim, though mischievous, grin, as he raced after the two, who were, at the moment, racing neck-and-neck by each other. _Well, hey, that's just fine by me!_ Already, he could see the two racers leaning over their chariots and fighting with one another, trying to push the other off their chariot or swing a weapon their way to try and startle the horse. Slowly, Green was catching up to them- but for now, he kept a safe distance behind, grinning as they started to come up to the first turn…

"What's he doing?-! Green, catch up to them!" Blue shouted, jumping up and down and snorting in fury as he watched the chariots go by.

"No, hang on… I think I see what he's trying to do," Vio said, leaning forward and giving a small grin.

Reaching out behind him, Green kept one hand firmly on the reigns of his racing horse, both feet planted firmly on the floor of his chariot, and both eyes narrowed in concentration at the two horses ahead of him as they came to the turn…

And, with a quick motion and a loud laugh, Green jerked his hand out from behind him, coming out with his shining, sturdy boomerang. The crowd gasped- and, without wasting another second, as the time grew just right, the leader threw his shoulder backwards, lunging forward with his arm and sending the weapon hurtling through the air at the two competitors in front of him.

Sailing true through the air and spinning madly around towards its target, the boomerang flew quick and true- and, with a sharp slicing sound, hit its match clean and even. And the larger, armored competitor looked down with gasp at the severed straps of the horse's harness which had connected the racing equine to his chariot. The audience, cheering in approval, roared on as the racer desperately tried to get a hold of his reigns- but to no avail, and as the turn came, and the horse jerked to the side to make the turn… The straps of the harness were now useless, and the chariot, rather than turning, barreled straight onwards, carrying its angrily shouting passenger- until it crashed with a loud, resounding crash against the wall, its rider slumping to the ground, grumbling and flinging curses every which way.

And as Green deftly made the turn, he grinned, leaning forward and urging his horse onwards, the cheers of the audience and of his friends spurring him forward to finish the first lap.

The horse and chariot carrying the leader of the Links eagerly made the second turn to complete the first lap, and, seeing the only competitor left still ahead in their sights, put on an extra burst of speed as they made the run to try and catch him before the next turn was made.

And yet-

In the instant before the turn came up, a massive, smoke-filled explosion suddenly blasted on the ground in front of them. Green's horse, rearing up in fright and whinnying as the harmless, though distracting blast, startled him, skidded to a halt before the cloud of smoke in front of them, nearly sending Green flying out of his chariot. Gasping, the leader grabbed the sides of his chariot, though not wasting a second in grabbing the reigns once more and urging his horse onwards, despite the smoke cloud created by the blast. As he got his horse back to run, Green's eyes darted to the side, at the other racer who had completed the turn and was racing down the other side of the track, finishing up lap two.

A sick grin was on the racer's face, and, while the audience cheered, he put away under his cloak a small, blue bomb.

Green's eyes narrowed, his lip curling in an infuriated snarl. It was a dirty trick… And he'd lost a lot of ground because of it. Though his horse completed the next turn easily, and he spurred it onwards, shouting encouragements to the horse and leaning forward over the rails of his chariot, they were only completing the second lap's turn, while the racer ahead was nearing the end of the lap, almost starting on his third- and final- lap.

From the stands, Blue was nearly throwing his hat, jumping up and down and cursing at the other driver as it went by, while Red bit his fingernails and watched with wide, worried eyes as Green sprinted through the other side of the lap, wasting not a second as he, too, made the second turn, initiating his third lap.

The roar of the crowd was growing by the second as the race heated up, the final few minutes of the final lap reached in the race, between the two left competitors. Leaning forward, with his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched tightly around the reigns, Green shouted aloud as he urged his horse onwards. He had a plan… it was crazy and stupid, but if it worked, he'd be able to win, despite the other's bomb tricks.

The first turn came around- and, jerking his reigns fiercely to the side, Green urged his horse into a sharp turn, nearly skidding on the dirt and sand beneath him- a risky maneuver, but one that paid off, as Green found himself making up his lost time , finishing the turn and arriving on the other side of the track, neck-and-neck with the last racer.

The competitor, snarling and turning to look at Green, gave a wild grin, holding up another of his bombs, as the two horses pulling the two carriages raced furiously along in front of them.

"Give it up, kid," the racer laughed with a sneer, gripping tightly his bomb and raising his arm, ready to throw it. "You've already lost!"

"Actually," Green shouted back, grinning just as widely- yet with a mischievous, clever glint in his eye- "_YOU'VE_ lost!"

And before the racer could say another word, or even react in surprise to the Link's loud, bold words, Green laughed as he jumped forward, making his move.

Leaving the reigns hanging uselessly in the empty chariot behind him, and ignoring the loud gasps of surprise from the crowd all around him, Green threw his arms out in front of him as he vaulted the front of his chariot, jumping upwards over the rail and landing nimbly on the back of his horse. It held no bridle, nor saddle- but his heels gripped the horse's side, and his hands wrapped tightly around the flying, tangled mane of his racing, swiftly-moving ride.

Without wasting another second, still grinning and with his eyes still narrowed in concentration and determination, Green shouted out as he leapt once more- this time, a much more dangerous jump than the last, also insane and risky move. For instead of jumping forward or backwards- the opposite racer suddenly flinched back in shock and surprise, watching with wide eyes and an open jaw as Green landed on the other racer's horse, grabbing his mane and pushing his heels into the horse's hindquarters.

"See ya!" Green shouted out with a laugh as he reached forward, still riding the cantering horse, and wrapped his hands around the reigns connected to the horse's bit, still held in his competitor's hands. And, clenching his fist around the leather strap, gave it a sudden jerk- and, in the same quick motion, turned once more and nimbly, quickly, leapt off the horse and back onto his own.

The horse of his opponent, responding instantly to the interfered jerk of the reigns, whinnied and reared up on its hindquarters, its front legs thrashing as it slammed down to a halt, despite the cries of protest from its rider, still standing on the back of the chariot behind it.

Meanwhile, Green grunted and gasped as he landed sharply back on his own horse, though his eyes were wide as he found himself slowly losing his balance, his fingers scrambling to grip the horse's wild, waving in the wind mane and his feet struggling to get a hold on its sides…

The final turn was coming up… Green's eyes widened as he dangled half-on and half-off the side of the horse. If he couldn't hold on until then, he would fall and be disqualified…!

"Hang on, Green!"

"You can do it!"

"You've almost got it, Green!"

The leader of the Link's wide and frantic eyes looked up as he held on to the cantering, running horse, his ears catching the sounds of his friends cheering him on from the sidelines. All that stood between him and the victory was this one last turn… If he could hold on until then…

He grit his teeth, tightening his slowly failing grip on the horse as it ran. No way he'd let them down, not here, not now!

Shouting out aloud, Green let his grip on the horse's mane go- but instantly, swinging around, grabbed the side of the chariot's bar, also letting his legs off their grip- only to plant them firmly on the chariot bar, wasting not a second as he leapt backwards, almost flipping as he threw his hand out, catching the rail of the chariot behind the horse as it sped past him.

Gasping in effort and clinging on to the hold he'd found, Green's leap over the side and back of the chariot was successful, and his feet landed firmly and soundly on the wooden base of the chariot, his horse whinnying as it continued to race in front of him.

However, the turn was still coming up-

Wasting not a second more, Green leaned forward, grabbing the reigns back in his hands and jerking them to the side. And as the turn came, the horse, responding to its command, neighed and turned along with the track, the chariot following behind it.

And as Green's chariot passed the finish line, the crowd all around him erupted in blaring, clamorous applause and cheers, the announcer shouting out the name of the victorious team as Red, Blue, and Vio jumped over the rail of the stands, leaping down into the arena and running over to their friend.

Gasping and slowing down his chariot as the race was won, Green, finally catching his breath, staggered backwards out of his chariot, putting a hand to his forehead and swaying dizzily. He gave a weak grin and turned around, smiling over at his friends… And yet blinked in surprise as he saw them hurtling towards him…

"… Oh, _f_-"

Green hardly got another word out before he was suddenly tackled to the ground, the three Links laughing and shouting aloud as they jumped on their friend, hugging him from all angles and cheering on their combined victory.

"Congratulations, Team Link! You are _the Champions of Hyrule_!"

Finally, shoving the others off of him, Green laughed along with his friends as he stood up, brushing the dirt and dust off his tunic. The Four Links grinned widely, laughing and cheering as they heard the announcer call out their victory.

"Hell, yeah! I _knew_ we could do it!" Blue shouted loudly, pumping his fist in the air and laughing.

"Yeah! Take that, world! We did _great_, guys!" Red cheered up, nodding and grinning as he jumped up and down in excitement.

"_No one_ beats Team Link," Vio said with a calm, though confident smirk, crossing his arms smugly and looking at the others with a grin and a nod. "Right, Green?"

Finally, the three looked over at Green- and, returning the confident and cheerful grins of the others, crossed his arms and said with a laugh, as the others cheered him on and the crowd roared in excitement behind him, "Right. After all… We're the _best_ team there is!"

* * *

><p>"And then, get this- Blue swung his sword at the chain, and jerked away the axe! It was so cool! Aw, you shoulda been there, Kaepora!" Red whined, still excitedly talking about their adventures in the Hero's Tournament as he sat cross-legged amongst the grass, looking to the side with a wide grin at the owl who was perched next to him.<p>

"Really, now? Very interesting," the owl hooted calmly and simply, its eyes glinting in quiet amusement as it listened to the smaller hero talk and talk about what they had gone through to fix the cannon. Though he had been listening to Red speak, the wise owl's attention had been focused primarily on the cannon itself, as the mechanic had worked around it, fixing it- with the three Links supervising- until it stood once more, proud and tall, its massive barrel aimed upwards towards the heavens itself.

Standing up, Red moved to stand beside the others as they gazed up at the glistening, silver surface of the massive machine. The cannon's most impressive and notable feature was the giant, round barrel, curved like a bell and aimed up at the sky. It had many other parts to it, as well, but none that the boys would have been able to comprehend or understand.

The mechanic had long gone after the Links had paid him, and now Blue was marching around impatiently, his arms crossed and mumbling and grumbling about when they could leave and get started again.

"So… I suppose you four enjoyed yourself, then?" Kaepora hooted as he flew up, landing on the surface of the cannon and looking down at the four children.

"Yeah… now that I think of it, it was good to slow down and have some fun like that," Green answered with a smile and a nod, looking around at the others.

"Agreed," Vio said with a returned nod, and a simple smile. "I'm sure we all did well with a break from our adventure."

"Yeah, great, we had a blast, bla bla," Blue grumbled, moving over back them and crossing his arms. "We kicked ass. So what? We always kick ass. Now let's get moving, we don't have any more time to waste!"

Though Vio and Green blinked in quiet surprise, Red instead grinned, jumping up and wrapping an enthusiastic hug over Blue's crossed arm.

"Aw, c'mon, Blue, you know you had fun, too!" he teased with a laugh.

"G-Get off me!" Blue cried indignantly, shoving the other aside as Vio and Green laughed. As Red stumbled off to the side, Blue blinked- "…Déjà vu," he grumbled under his breath, looking off reluctantly to the side.

"Well, I am glad you four had a chance to relax," Kaepora spoke again, breaking the laughter between them as they all looked up to listen to him speak. "But I'm afraid Blue is right- we've not much time left. The Sky Cannon is indeed the only way to the Sky Temple- but I fear that Veran and Onox may have tried other ways to send monster up to the temple. You four must make haste- hurry! Into the cannon!"

Green gave a firm nod. "Alright. You heard him, guys- let's go!"

Without any further hesitation or wait, the four heroes ran up to the cannon, each helping the other climb up the massive machine and slide down into the barrel of the machine. However, once all four of them had been inside…

"_Ouch_! Get off my toe!"

"GREEN! Move _over_!"

"I'm not _on_ your toe!"

"Stop _shoving_!"

It was quite a cramped fit, that was for sure, and the four children couldn't help but yell at each other as they all struggled to fit inside the large barrel of the cannon. Finally, however, as they all got situated inside, the giant owl once more flew forward, landing on the rim of the cannon and looking inside.

"Are you four ready?"

Grunting past their fighting, the four sets of blue eyes looked through the end of the cannon, nodding silently to the owl.

"Er… just one question, Kaepora," Red said with a meek grin.

"Yes?" The owl turned and flew out, but the heroes could hear the sound of him hopping on top of the cannon- most likely preparing it to launch.

"… How're we gonna get back here once we're there?"

The three other heroes looked at Red, wide-eyed in surprise.

"… Oh crap."

"Good luck, heroes!" Kaepora called out one last time-

And, with a resounding boom, the cannon fired.

"_AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!-!-!-!_"

And as the four Links found themselves shot through the massive barrel of the cannon, all four of them holding on to each other and screaming, their voices and sight slowly grew dimmer and dimmer as they flew higher and higher, further out into the sky.

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><p>As night began to fall across the now quiet town of Kakariko, the sun beginning to set and the dark, deep-blue rays of darkness echoing across the lands… A massive, gleaming white cannon stood out amongst the outskirts of the town, its barrel aimed up towards the sky.<p>

And standing beside the cannon, a small, young boy, dressed in black garb and with a black hat falling loosely over his hair, looked up silently at the sky and the stars which were just beginning to blink to life over the night sky.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the shorter-than-usual chapter, guys, but I've been real busy lately, babysitting and stuffs. ;_;<strong>

**Hope you all enjoyed the small "side-quest" chapters and the Hero's Tournament! But now... back to adventure! **

**I'll do my absolute best to have chapter 26 up tomorrow, but for now... Heh, I won't even tell you its name! -sticks out tongue-**

**Kthanksbye! -runs and hides- ^_^**

**P.S. Can you spot the Narnia reference? ;P**


	26. Illusion

**Hey guys! Sorry for the small delay in updates, needed a few days to catch up on chapters and life and stuff. P: **

**But here we are! So, enjoy! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Six:<strong> Illusion

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><p>"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"<p>

The loud, long shouts of the four terrified boys were stopped in an instant, their cries ceasing mid-yell as their breath was knocked forcibly from their chests at the force of the impact.

And yet, as each of them recovered from the split-second stop, their eyes blinking and adjusting to the new lighting, neither of them truly felt any pain at the sudden, impacting stop- after all, they noticed with surprise as they each looked underneath them, they had landed on something very… _very_ soft.

Blue was the first to talk, his jaw nearly dropping in surprise as he pushed himself to his feet, looking down incredulously on what they now stood on.

"Are these… _clouds…?_" he gaped, looking all around them at the vast expanse of white, puffy smoke they all seemed to float upon, though standing on top rather than falling down through.

"Wow! I guess the cannon really did work!" Red spoke up next with a grin as he jumped up, looking down in glee at the strange turn of events, and jumping up and down on the soft, pillow-like surface of the tops of the clouds.

"This… defies all logic," Vio sighed with a shake of his head, looking around in quiet frustration, his arms crossed as he tried to grasp the impossible concept which was obviously true before them. "I don't believe this…" he muttered, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well, whether you believe it or not," Green said with a smile and a laugh, getting up and dusting some of the wisps of clouds off his tunic, "we're here."

Suddenly, interrupting the others' stunned silence and awe, came a loud and bubbly voice.

"Oh, oh! Guys! Look!"

As each of the Links heard the cries of Red, they turned around to face what he was facing, a hand pointed upwards at something not very far off in the distance. And as the four heroes looked up at the majestic, impressive sight, each of them fell silent in awe and wonder as they stared at the beautiful, magnificent towers and pillars which supported the ivory-and-beige stones of the Sky Temple.

If each of the boys could only find one word for the impressive, amazement-inspiring temple, it would be _peaceful_. It was pristine and untouched- each stone in its walls and towers looked as if they had only just been set, hardly a speck of dirt or rust found on any of the beautifully, expertly-crafted moldings and engravings on the sides of the temple. Just by looking at it, each of them were brought into a sense of respectful silence, feeling honored just by looking at its massive, yet breathtaking architecture of the holy temple in the sky.

Finally, breaking the silence of the four, came a calm and collected voice.

"… We must make haste. The Air Element is surely inside."

The three Links turned to look towards Vio, who had spoken quietly, though his expression calm and yet determined as he looked upwards at the temple.

Looking back to the others, Green gave a nod. "He's right," he said firmly with a smile, turning back towards the temple. "We don't have much time to waste. Be on your guard, guys," he added, holding his shield by his side as he began to walk over the clouds toward the temple. "I know it looks empty, but… I don't want to take any chances."

Nodding in agreement, Blue and Red also took up their shields, following after their leader, with Vio close behind.

The walk was not a long one- the temple was much closer than it had looked, and though it seemed smaller than the Earth Temple or the insides of the Fire Temple of Death Mountain, it most certainly made up for this in its beauty and wonder. Also, the each noticed as they grew closer to its stone walls, a single tower rose up even higher into the sky and the clouds from behind the temple- its end, they could not see.

Though he leaned against the door with all his might, Green ended up gasping for breath as it still did not budge. However, he hardly had to say a word- and, smiling, watched as the other three came to his aid, all leaning against the massive, regal door, pushing with their combined efforts against it until they all heard the quiet, satisfying squeal of the hinges giving in to the pressure, and the door slowly swinging open, the light from outside drenching the inside of the temple with its warm, soft glow.

And as the light shone through the door and into the temple, the four sets of boots slowly began to clap against the stone tile of the floor within, the four Links quietly entering the sacred temple.

Their wonder and amazement upon seeing the temple for the first time was nearly overshadowed at the awe they found themselves in by looking at the grandiose, beautiful interior of the temple. The main room which they had entered was wide and open- the ceiling was tall, and covered with stained glass windows, beautifully-crafted pillars lined the perimeter, and set in the center of the room, on the far side, lay a grandiose, magnificent staircase, leading up to a massive double-door set in the far side of the wall. On either side of the grand staircase were two open-door passageways, their entrances hardly as intricate or specially-designated as the double doors.

And yet, as the Links were quietly, instinctively drawn to the royal, sweeping staircase, each of them hesitated on the first step of it- their eyes looking up and their hearts sinking down as they each stared at the massive lock fitted tightly to the center of the doors, with four large chains binding the lock to the frame of the door.

Finally, interrupting the silence of the boys- and sending his quiet voice echoing off the wide, empty walls of the room, Green spoke. "Well," he said with a sigh, shaking his head, "Looks like we won't be going through _that_ door anytime soon."

"We'll need to find a key for this," Vio said with a frown, taking another step up the staircase to closer inspect the lock- though, for some reason he couldn't identify, still keeping his distance.

"Yeah, you won't be able to break it like you did last time, Blue," Red giggled, breaking the awe-struck tension with a grin. Though while Blue and Vio looked at him in confusion, Green laughed quietly to himself, remembering exactly what Red was talking about. Blue frowned and crossed his arms, looking away and huffing in resentment. This, of course, only caused Red to laugh some more, with Green shaking his head and smiling.

Vio, for his part, had ignored the small joke, instead setting his sights on either side of them, to the two undecorated passageways which lay on either side of him. Turning around, he crossed his arms and said calmly to their leader, "I suspect the key may lie hidden somewhere in the temple. And from what it looks like," he continued, his voice stable and cool, sweeping his arm out in front of him, "the temple seems to be mostly deserted. I think Veran and Onox have not yet been able to infiltrate it. We should take this time to our advantage and search for the key."

Green, back to business, gave a nod over to Vio. And as he moved to separate a still-giggling Red and a fuming Blue, he gave a smile, saying, "Alright, that sounds good. C'mon guys, we'll search one tunnel and then the other."

"Why not split up and search both?" Vio commented with a raised eyebrow, in light surprise. "There are no monsters here yet. It would be quicker if we were to move into two separate teams and search each room at the same time."

Green shook his head. "We're _not_ separating," he said firmly. "Yeah, maybe that _is_ a better idea, but I'm still not gonna let us split up. We'll find the key together." Blue and Red, no longer at conflict with each other, nodded at Green, looking over at Vio. The calm boy merely shrugged, walking back down the step to the others, and awaiting their move.

Turning to his left, giving one last nod to his teammates, Green smiled as he walked towards the passageway on the left side of the wall. The others followed behind him- though, slightly frowning, Vio hung back at the end of the group, looking around suspiciously at the walls of the narrow tunnel as they passed through it, the light growing dimmer as they walked further and further away from the main chamber.

Soon, however, a light grew in front of them- though Red had moved to take out his Fire Rod so they would have a torch in the darkness, he blinked in surprise as he moved to put it away just as he was taking it out. Another room, lit by torched lanterns which hung high on the wall, was fast approaching the end of the tunnel, and as the Links piled out of the tunnel one-by-one and stood together in the new room, they each gaped, their hearts sinking lower and lower by every sight they took in.

The entire room looked like a cross between a labyrinth and an obstacle course, with several walls separating the room into jumbled pieces, puzzles with square tiles or pots or engravings on the wall, and various deadly weapons hanging from the ceiling- axes, swords, spears, all dangling by ropes, as if waiting for a wrong move to be made in order to swing down at whatever lay beneath.

His eyes narrowed in concentration, Blue moved forward to take a small step…

"Blue! Get back!" Vio suddenly snapped, shouting loud as he lunged forward, grabbing the back of his friend's shirt and jerking him backwards.

Vio was only just in time- for seconds after Blue had stepped on the ground in front of him, a tile sliding down where he'd stepped, a sudden clicking noise was heard, as if something was become unlatched- and, as Blue shouted out, being jerked backwards by Vio, another sound flew by him. A sharp hissing sound hurtled across him as five or six small, yet swift darts flew through the space Blue had once been standing in, missing their mark and hitting the wall on the far end of the room, where they clinked uselessly against the stone and clattered to the ground.

The Links were quiet- yet deep under his breath, Blue swore heavily, and Vio shook his head, sighing as he spoke.

"… This whole room is booby-trapped."

"And I'll bet anything the key is hiding somewhere here," Green added grimly, looking around the room. The three Links behind him were silent- but, shaking his head, their leader finally sighed, turning around to speak to them again.

"We can't go anywhere without that key," Green spoke to the others, giving them a nod, "But this room is obviously dangerous. We'll have to be careful here, is all."

"I understand not wanting to separate into two different rooms before, Green," Vio commented calmly, "But in a single room, I think logic has it that we should split up, so we're not as vulnerable to the traps as a group than as we would be as one person. We may also find the key faster this way."

Blue and Red were quiet as they looked from Vio to Green, awaiting an answer.

Finally, biting his tongue, Green sighed and shook his head. "I really don't want us to separate," he said- though gave another grim nod, continuing, "But you're right- I don't think we have any other choice, either." Looking back over to Blue and Red, he spoke again, "Try and stay where we can see each other- but go in the labyrinth different ways. If someone finds the key, or another door, shout out and let us know. And… be careful, everyone, alright?" he added, trying to keep his voice from shaking as he looked at the three.

No longer shaken from his narrow escape by the darts, Blue gave a grin, crossing his arms. "Hey, don't worry about us, Green," he said with a laugh, "We'll find that damn key. And hey!" he added, balling his hands into fists eagerly, "Whoever finds it first gets bragging rights the rest of the temple!"

As Green laughed, Red beamed, nodding his head enthusiastically. "Awesome! I just know it'll be me!"

"What? No! _I'm_ gonna find it first!" Blue retorted back sharply, rounding on Red.

"Outstanding. The more time you two waste fighting," Vio spoke up with a smug grin, calmly walking past them as he talked, "The more time I can use to find the key before you do."

The two Links blinked in brief surprise- but instantly exploded outwards, jumping up and shouting and running in opposite directions, all of them eager to find the key first.

And while Green laughed and shook his head, he couldn't help but calling after them, "Remember, guys! Be on your guard!"

Green's voice echoed throughout the wide room, bouncing off every strangely-placed wall and puzzle and contraption in the maze-like room, until it finally faded away, leaving each of the Links to navigate their path of the puzzle in silence.

And yet, as each of the four heroes quietly twisted and turned through the maze, narrowly and deftly evading traps or putting their minds to work at solving a puzzle in their path, neither of them were noticing the quietly approaching and growing sounds behind them, nor the dark shadows which accompanied those voices, growing closer and closer to each of them…

And before they knew it, they were upon them.

Shouting out in surprise, the Links hardly had time to call out for one another- and even then, their cries would have been useless, as each of them were beset upon at the same time- before they found themselves stumbling back, whirling around their shields in front of them in desperate attempt to protect them from what had jumped up from behind each of them and attacked. The Links found themselves stumbling, trying to avoid hitting the traps or walls of the labyrinths, yet at the same time swinging their swords and shields as best they could in the narrow, cramped space in order to defend themselves.

Knocked to the ground, Red gasped as the breath was knocked out of his chest, his shield in front of him being the only thing which had protected him from the cruel blade of the axe which had swung out in front of him. On the ground, blinking and trying to regain his senses, he had only a moment's glimpse of his attacker before it moved behind him, cackling and swirling and dancing as it moved to strike again.

As it ran, a smoky, wispy trail of silvery-grey mist followed behind it, the same sort of mist and smoke covering its entire being with the glistening, eerie glow. The only light other than the blinding silver-white of the strange, undefinable creature's being came from two small, glowing red circles near its head. In the split-second as it ran past Red, after having knocked the smaller boy to the ground, the young Link could clearly see the ghost-like monster running past him, its back hunched and its cruel, hooked claws dangling out hideously in front of it, and its two, malicious red eyes burning in malicious glee, all the while with the silvery, twisting mist swirling around its being.

Gasping and struggling to get up, Red cried out aloud as he jumped backwards, once more raising his shield to protect himself from the elusive, quick-moving enemy. Once more he stumbled back as he was struck against the shield- but this time, shouting out, jumped forward, swinging out with his own sword against the creature. His blade went right through the monster- but Red's eyes went wide and his jaw fell open as he watched his sword merely glide effortlessly through the seemingly transparent enemy… And though a sliver of the mist was sliced in half, the monster's body separated by the cleaving in two… The ghost stood there, cackling, looking down at the gash in its ether-forming body… And slowly, the mist began to grow over it, the strange smoke of the being joining back together until the slice had been completely sealed back over.

Looking back up at the boy, cackling and chattering and screeching with its high-pitched, terrifying voice, the ghost monster looked at Red with its bloodthirsty, soulless eyes, slowly approaching him once again.

Finally- a voice rang out.

"GUYS! We… we need to get back together!"

Red's eyes lit up. That was Green! He was calling to them from somewhere in the labyrinth… Gasping, he jumped backwards as he avoided another swing of the ghost's axe, his ears straining to hear anything more from their leader, yet keeping his focused eyes on the approaching monster in front of him…

His muscles slightly shaking in exhaustion, Green took a step back, swinging his Four Sword out in front of him and slamming his shield to the side, hoping to draw back the two ghosts attacking him long enough for him to call out to the others again. His sword sliced through one ghost, and the impact of his shield caused another to be knocked backwards on top of the other- a few seconds worth of distraction before they'd attack again, true, but necessary for what he needed to do.

"Everyone! To the entrance! _Now_!" Green yelled again, as loud as he could, looking upwards as he shouted- though, quickly after, looking back at his two attackers as they each began to get to their feet once more. How… how had they been so caught off-guard, ambushed so quickly? These strange, ghost-like monsters had struck him from behind as he worked on solving a puzzle, and he'd only had a second to get up and leap to the side before the second one jumped him, its fierce, terrible claws slashing right where he had fallen.

But whatever had happened- however it had happened- Green knew, as the sweat raced down his temple, that they could not fight off these monsters on their own. He'd already seen how his own blade could only sail harmlessly through the strange ether of the monster's being, perhaps slicing it in half and disabling it temporarily… yet, only seconds would pass before the ghost would rebuild itself, the strange, terrifying silver mist swirling around its glistening, horrible form and sealing itself back into place.

And so, leaping forward and shouting aloud, Green swung his sword sideways in front of him once more, his blade slicing evenly through the two ghosts, despite their attempt to jump backwards and avoid it. Cleaved in two, the ghosts fell to the side- and, without wasting a beat, Green leapt over their broken forms, racing down the path he'd come through, knowing that the ghosts were already beginning to rebuild themselves, and would only be after him again in seconds.

Screaming and howling in pain, three sets of burning, red eyes fell to the ground as their silvery, writhing bodies crumpled beneath them, sliced to shreds by the still-swinging sword in front of them. The mist surrounding each of the ghosts was once more building around them, slowly closing the gaps between each sword slice- and yet, as each cut was being rebuilt, another was being added, as the relentless sword-fighter continued to slice away at his enemies, his teeth ground and eyes narrowed in concentration and determination.

Finally, taking a step backwards as he panted in exhaustion, Blue looked down in spite at the pile of ghost enemies which had attacked him. Every muscle in his body was screaming, aching in pain… While trying to solve a difficult puzzle, he'd been jumped all at once by the three ghosts, and had fought for his very life to get them off of him. They'd done quite a number on him- and while his shield bore most of the marks of the ghosts' slashes, his sleeve was torn in one or two places, small drops of blood lining the edges of the tears. True, he'd been successful in the end at getting them off, and now the attackers were lying in a useless, swirling silver mist at his feet, but after the first few attacks, he'd noticed how they were only rebuilding every cut in them he sliced. In vain, he'd tried to cut them to so many shreds that it would be impossible for them to rejuvenate themselves- yet, as the heaps beneath him were already regaining their forms, he knew that this was not working.

Blue ground his teeth in fury. True, he'd heard Green's shout… and, shaking his head, finally cleared the thoughts from his head. He wasn't sure how the hell they'd even be able to defeat things that could only heal every wound they made, but… he had to do what Green said. Shouting out and cursing the ghosts and their mothers and ancestors before them, Blue gave one last slice of his sword at the three fallen ghosts before leaping over them and running back the way he came, his sword gripped tightly in his fists and his eyes narrowed into concentrated, fierce slits.

The cold stone of the wall bumped up against the back of his tunic, and his feet came to a halt as his heels backed up against the wall behind him. Vio's harsh, narrowed eyes looked in spite at the two cackling, chattering ghost monsters which were slowly but surely cornering him into the dead end of the labyrinth. He had his shield in one hand, held in front of him sturdily, and his sword hung lightly by his side- though his hand was clenched tightly around its hilt, ready to swing into action the second they jumped.

Like the others, he assumed, he'd also been caught off-guard by the surprise attack from behind. He'd managed to gather from the few, split-second fights he had in an attempt to gain some space between them that they were some sort of ghost-like enemy, with a strange ether engulfing them which prevented his blade from defeating them. Arrows had not worked, either- upon gaining some momentum in the fight, he'd tested this possibility by bringing out his bow and firing upon his attacker. However, the arrows had simply sailed right through the ghosts, striking against the walls behind them and landing on the ground.

And though he had heard Green's shouts to them, only seconds earlier, the Link was finding it difficult to maneuver around the corner, the dead-end, which the ghosts had trapped him into. Twice he'd tried to move and jump to the side, only to be stopped by one, and attacked on the side by the other. And each time, it had cost him dearly- though he had no free hands to hold it, he could feel an ache on his side from where one of the ghosts' claws had ripped a thin line through his tunic, just barely scoring the skin beneath and leaving a small trail of red liquid oozing out from beneath the surface.

Vio grit his teeth tighter as his narrowed eyes did their best to frantically evaluate his situation. He was cornered, and the ghosts were advancing- and though their wide, red eyes were vicious in nature, they were not stupid- he knew that, as soon as they found an opening or a single second's worth of weakness, they would attack. His time was running out- and, above all, he had to get past them and regroup with the others, as Green had commanded.

Snarling and twirling his sword effortlessly in his hands, Vio took a sudden step forward, advancing upon the enemies. They stopped their own approach in sudden surprise, and Vio took the opportunity to lash out with his sword, shouting as he did so, "_Come on_! I don't have all day!" If they were going to attack, he needed them to do it fast, so he could make his move and regroup with the others.

And yet, the ghosts merely looked at one another- and then, looking back at Vio, chattered and giggled and laughed in their insane, demented voices, their claws once more eagerly twitching in front of them.

Vio's narrowed eyes looked up, past the ghosts…

… From behind the two enemies, round the corner of the labyrinth's walls, came two… three… four… four more ghosts, their bright and furious red orbs for eyes focused intensely on the trapped, outnumbered boy in the corner of the maze. And behind those four, another… two more, three more, and four… Vio's eyes were slowly widening in shock, and he stumbled backwards. He… he could no longer count them; they were all grouped tightly together, laughing as they advanced upon the boy…

Gulping past his fears, Vio snarled as he twirled his sword in his hand, planting his feet firmly on the ground facing the ghosts.

"…Well, _fine_, then," he finally managed to grumble under his breath and through gritted teeth, his narrowed sights set firmly upon the approaching hoard of ghosts, "If I'm going down… I'm going to take some of you down _with_ me."

The sound of the ghosts chattering, laughing, and howling as they advanced upon the boy grew, drowning out everything else. And as they finally grew close to the young, alone Link…

Vio grit his teeth, clenching his sword tight.

In a brilliant burst of light, and an explosion of sound and motion, the swarm of ghosts leapt forward, screeching and laughing as they lunged out towards the Link, who, shouting out in response, leapt forward, his Four Sword gleaming against the harsh light of the silvery, twisting mist.

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><p><strong>Gasp! O: What's going to happen to the Links? Will the be able to get past these strange, ghost-like enemies?<strong>

**And what about Vio? Has he been overrun by the sheer amount of attackers?**

**Find out this and so much more in tomorrow's dramatic chapter, Chapter 27: _Introspection_!**


	27. Introspection

**The suspense is killing me! Is Vio alright? Did the others make it out?**

**Read ahead to find out! Get ready for some heart-stopping action! ^_~**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Seven:<strong> Introspection

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><p>His world had fallen into silence- and yet, instead the cold dark welcoming him into this strange, new silence, a warm light began to glow from far off in the distance, chasing away the shadows and slowly approaching him, its light casting over him in a warm wave of brightness. Trying to blink away the cobwebs in his thought, the boy put a hand to his forehead as he stumbled to his feet, lightly shaking his dizzy head once or twice to help clear his mind. At the present moment, all that he could feel, hear, or think, was the silence- and the warm, yet strange light basking over him. Yet, the light was neither harsh nor overwhelming, and he had no need to shield his eyes from it.<p>

Finally, regaining his balance and lucidity, Vio blinked his eyes once more before turning his head up and looking at his surroundings. His thoughts were beginning to clear, and he remembered last the ghosts which had attacked him, surrounded, overwhelmed and trapped him-

And, in an instants, all of his thoughts ceased as his blood ran cold and his breath caught in his chest, his eyes staring, unbelieving, around him.

He was in the same place as before… the corner of the labyrinth, where he had been beset by the innumerable enemies. However, those enemies were long gone- not a single one was in sight. But this was not what made his chilled heart slowly sink in his chest. Instead, with a slightly gaping mouth and widened eyes, he scanned the room around him- taking in all of the changes that had occurred since he had fallen to the ghosts.

Everything was transparent… almost a wispy sort of grey, with fuzzy edges and a clouded sense of being. There were no colors- everything had been turned into a shade of grey and silver, a spectral essence drifting about the room. Unbelieving, he stumbled forward, reaching out a hand to press against the wall, not wanting to believe that it would merely pass right through it-

-And yet, his hand paused seconds before the wall, as his breath once more froze inside of him, his eyes staring in horror at his own hand.

It was like the room around him… a ghostly, pale silver, with no solid edges forming the curves of his wrist and fingers. A strange sort of mist dragged after him after his hand's every movement… and in horror, he looked at his other hand, holding it up in front of him- only for his eyes to show him the same thing.

Finally, choking back a lump which had begun to form in his throat, Vio took a step backwards, looking downwards at his feet-

The worst surprise of them all met him there, and he couldn't even help but crying out as he suddenly fell to his knees, looking down in terror at what lay on the ground before him.

He would not mistake those clothes for anything else. Not the soft, purple fabric of his tunic… or the violet hat which sat upon his head. A glistening, silver and gold sword was still sitting in his unclenched hands, and though his eyes were closed, capped by golden-blonde bangs, Vio knew all too well the color of the boy's eyes. After all…

… They were his own.

"N… No… I… I _can't_ be…" unable to keep silent any longer, Vio spoke softly and shakily as he looked down at his body which lay motionlessly on the ground. Once more, his trembling hand, wispy and of a grey haze, reached out… And as he set it down upon the crumpled form of himself, he found himself almost stumbling forward as his hand slipped right through the seemingly solid form, catching his fall on the cold ground beneath him.

"No… It's not… this isn't…"

Though he tried to talk to himself and calm him down, comfort him, reassure himself that this was not happening… Vio's eyes were wide in horror, unable to tear his gaze away from his own body which lay before him.

The seconds passed. And yet, before the boy could make another sound or move-

"… You are correct. It is not how things appear."

Startled by the sudden and strange voice, Vio instantly whipped his head up, his eyes wide and his entire form instantly crouching into a defensive, fighting stance. And yet, as he looked upon what had spoken, he suddenly relaxed, looking upon the figures before him in awe and confusion.

They were tall, robed figures with the hood of their robes down- if he didn't know any better, Vio would have called them priests. Like the rest of the new world around him, their forms were hardly stable, instead silvery-grey and twisting in a softly-blowing mist. They stood together in a sort of V-formation, with one in the front and the rest arcing behind it. Each of them were silent- save for the one in front who had spoken, and its ambiguous, grey eyes looked down at the boy- with an expression Vio could not decipher.

However, finding his voice and his confidence, Vio once more swallowed past his own fears as he stumbled to his knees, taking a step backwards and keeping his eyes on the strange, robed beings.

"… What are you talking about?" he finally drew himself to ask quietly, his eyes narrowing in confusion- though also in frustration as he tried to keep the stinging, burning sensation in the corner of his eyes at bay.

Looking down towards Vio's body, the spirit in front drew out his robed arm, pointing towards the fallen boy.

"… It may appear so, however, you have not yet perished. Rather," it continued, looking back up at Vio and continuing with the calm, yet strange and unintelligible voice, "We have drawn your spirit out of your body. You are still alive- yet your soul is here."

Slowly, Vio found his breath returning to him, nodding quietly as the understanding and relief washed over him. So… he wasn't dead, as he'd feared… But still, he frowned, unable to still understand things. Normally he was so good at detecting emotions, character, and intentions in a person's voice or expression, but these strange, robed figures… he could understand nothing.

"Very well," Vio replied curtly and calmly, trying to keep his words from becoming blunt or coming off as harsh or cold- though deep down, anger was building up, and it was taking all he could not to shout or yell at these strange beings. "Why, then? Why have you done this to me? I… I have friends… they must be looking for me…" Though he tried to keep his voice from rising, it shook all the same, in uncertainty and frustration, the full weight of each of his words bearing down on him.

It was a few more seconds before the spirit in front spoke again- and when it did, its voice was as calm as ever, though still ambiguous. It cast its gaze sideways, its robed arm once more rising up, though time, sweeping over the robed spirits behind it. "We are the guardians of this temple. We sages have served this holy place for centuries upon centuries- even in death, we do not abandon our duties." Once more, the sage turned his head to look towards Vio.

"And in these duties… We protect this sacred sanctuary," the robed sage continued, "By judging all and any who enter through its holy doors. Those deemed worthy and pure of heart will be granted safe passage. Those with hatred and evil in their hearts... are cursed to wander the temple as nothing more than spirits- ghosts of their former selves."

Vio had been calm and quiet, nodding once or twice in understanding as the sage spoke- _that explains those ghost-monsters that ambushed us, _he thought- but upon fully hearing the last sentence, he blinked in surprise, suddenly realizing something.

"H-Hey…" he stammered, shaking his head as his eyes widened and his voice rose indignantly, "If that's the case, then… why are you doing this to _me?_ I am a hero! Heck, I'm _the_ hero, one of the _Four Sword_ heroes!" He shook his head again, his angered eyes narrowed at the spirits. "You all must have made some sort of mistake!"

"There has been no mistake."

Stunned into silence, Vio could only watch as the robed figure began to speak once more.

"… As I have said before. You are not dead- your soul has merely been summoned out of your body, and brought to us."

Pausing once to think, Vio furrowed his brow, looking down at his body as he did so. Finally, after a few minutes had passed and he'd come up with nothing, the Link shook his head, looking back up and saying firmly, "Then, I don't understand. Why am I _here?_"

The sages- how many, he couldn't count- looked at one another before turning to look back at the boy, the leader of them speaking once more.

"… We have decided to test you, young one. Your heart… is closed off to us. You mentioned earlier your friends- we have seen into their hearts and know them to be just and pure. However, you have closed off your emotions and feelings to all, and to yourself. We must judge you, to determine if you are worthy to reside in our temple."

The words hit the young Link like a cold bucket of water, and he looked slowly down at the floor- and at his own body lying motionlessly upon it. So… this was why he was neither alive, nor dead. Slowly, he grit his teeth, looking back up at the others.

"That's… that's ridiculous," he finally said, shaking his head. "I'm a _hero_. You know, the 'good guy'? Of _course_ my heart is pure, or however you say-"

"And yet you still will not open it to us," the sage pointed out quietly- once more stopping the boy in his tracks and silencing him.

Finally, Vio sighed, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in reluctant defeat. What else was he to do…? Clearly, he was unable to convince them otherwise by mere words… After another silence, he looked up, his eyes slightly narrowed in determination, giving a nod to the spirits.

"Alright, then… Test me. I am ready."

* * *

><p>"VIO! Vio, where are you?-! Vio! <em>Answer us!<em>"

The shouts and calls of the three Links echoed through the labyrinth room as they carefully navigated its walls, keeping close together though turning at every angle and calling out loudly over again.

Leading the three heroes as they walked back through the maze was a strangely quiet Green- his face was stricken with worry and guilt, and his teeth were grinding together in distress as he looked from side to side. Swearing and cursing himself over and over beneath his breath, he pushed his bangs aside and once more turned around, calling out Vio's name in a desperate attempt to find the last one of their team.

"VIO! _Damnit_, Vio, you'd better not be pulling our leg!" Blue roared in fury as he took a few steps to the side, looking around him as best he could before swearing and returning to the others. Though one hand was still tightly bound to his sword, his other arm was raised, a hand clenched over his left shoulder. Small droplet of blood trickled out in between his fingers, but slowly, the flow was stopping from the pressure. Every bone in his body was tired and aching- but he knew he couldn't stop. Not yet.

Bringing up the rear, turning around and shouting out again and again, Red's voice carried out over and over again across the labyrinth as he called their friend's name. However, his eyes were nearly hollow in worry and fear as he looked from side to side, lightly jogging back up to Green and tugging weakly at his sleeve from behind.

"Green… do you… do you think Vio's okay?" he whimpered, looking up at the other with wide, terrified eyes.

Once more, Green bit his tongue, swearing and cursing himself out in his mind_. It should be __**me**__ missing, not Vio,_ he thought bitterly, unable to meet Red's eyes and instead looking off to the side. _It should be me. I never should've split us up… Stupid, __**stupid**__…_

Storming up to them, Blue broke the silence as he snorted, "Red, I'm sure Vio's fine. Hell, he probably got the better end of this than we did," he added with a frown, scoffing and looking away, "seeing as how he didn't have to fight off that damned crowd of ghosts like we did."

"Blue…" Green began, his voice slightly firm as he looked over to the Link, trying to keep his voice calm yet struggling to reprimand the other for his harsh words…

And yet, unfazed, Blue gave a smirk, elbowing Green. "C'mon, Green. You're supposed to be the one telling us this, not me. Vio's fine, right? We just gotta find him- then I can kick his lazy ass for not helping us back there," he added with a laugh.

Despite himself, Green gave a small smile. In his own way… Blue really was trying to help. By keeping up his usual insults and brash attitude, he was trying to keep a sense of normalcy and calm, for Red, to keep him from panicking. And besides… he was right.

Green gave a nod, silently thanking Blue with his eyes before looking back at Red with a smile. "Blue's right. We'll find Vio, it's possible he just got lost in the labyrinth while the rest of us regrouped. Maybe he's looking for us, too?"

Sniffing and rubbing away his tears with the end of his sleeve, Red attempted a small smile, nodding weakly back. "Oh… okay… Yeah, I guess you're right… I'm just worried about him, is all…" he trailed off, frowning sadly and looking down to the floor.

"Hey, c'mon, Red," Green said again, this time getting rid of all his thoughts of doubt as he smiled, kneeling down to look at Red in the face. "I am too, but, you know Vio. He's too smart to get himself into any trouble. We'll find him- we just gotta keep looking. Alright?"

As Green's words of comfort sank in, Red slowly began to grin, sniffing one last time before giving an eager nod in response.

Green smiled. "Good. Now come on, we've got a lot of ground left to-"

"GUYS! O… over here! _Hurry_!"

Instantly snapped out of their own conversation, Green and Red's eyes widened instantly and they jumped up, whirling around to face the sound of Blue's voice. Blue's head was peeking out at them from behind a wall- and as they each saw the look on his pale, almost bleached face, their hearts suddenly sunk to the depths of their chest. And yet, Blue's voice was urgent and fierce- and they obeyed quickly and without a single hesitation, leaping forward and following Blue around the wall.

The sound of the three heroes' footsteps were frantic and loud as they each ran down a path of the maze, with Blue in front and leading the others to yet another turn. And though in their minds, each of them were fearing the worst, they had to push those thoughts away for now, as they ran, until they were able to…

Finally, as Blue rounded the corner, he slowed down- and the others, following his lead, did the same, until they were walking around the turn, looking once more at each other with wide, worried eyes, before turning those eyes forward-

"_VIO!-!-!"_

Each of them suddenly found themselves nearly screaming out the name of their friend in horror and fear as they saw the small, crumpled body of their friend, lying in the corner of the path's dead-end. It was only a short distance to run, but the three sprinted faster than they'd ever ran towards their fallen friend, each of them sliding onto their knees as they gathered worriedly and frantically around him, each shouting out his name and shaking his shoulder, or asking if he was alright.

And yet, no answer came from the still, silent form of Vio.

The others fell silent- but slowly, shaking his head as if refusing to believe it, Green leaned forward, remembering something briefly as he reached out with his hand, setting his fingers on the side of his friend's neck…

… A _pulse_!

Green's eyes widened, and he fell backwards onto his knees, gasping and nearly collapsing in relief. The others shouted questions at him in worry, but Green shook his head, silencing them and blinking as he regained his senses.

"He's alive… he's fine, guys, he's alive…"

Slowly, the other two kneeling beside him calmed down, sitting down on their knees and letting their gazes drift back to the collapsed form of Vio. True… as each of them looked carefully, they could just barely see the even, if also slight rise and fall of his chest, indicating their friend was still alive.

Still…

Once more, Blue swore heavily and profanely under his breath as he shook his head, placing a shaky hand on his forehead as all of the tension from before was shattered, only to be replaced with a new, sullen sort of pain. "What the _hell_… I… I don't see any wounds on him… what do you think happened to 'im, Green?" he finally asked, trying his best to keep his eyes from widening in worry as he looked over at their leader.

Swallowing past his fears and doing his best to keep himself calm, Green shook his head, calming himself as he spoke, "I… I don't know. But… what's important is that he's alive," he affirmed solidly, giving a nod to both Blue and Red in turn, hoping to keep the shakes out his voice and keep them calm in the situation. "He… he may just be unconscious, for now," he said, looking back towards Vio's fallen form.

"… Should we try and… wake him up…?"

Green looked over to Red, and his timid, terrified form- the first words he'd spoken since finding their friend crumpled up against the wall. Red was obviously shaken, his wide eyes weary and emotionally ragged as they looked over at his friend's quiet, unmoving body. Green, in response, gave a grim frown, looking back to Vio and shaking his head. "No… I don't think we should… If anything, we should get the _hell_ out of here and keep him safe before those ghost things come back."

Blinking away his fears and gritting his teeth, Blue narrowed as he leaned forward. "Damn straight. I'll carry him, and we'll get the _hell_ out of this goddess-forsaken, cursed temple. Empty and abandoned, my _ass_."

"But Blue, you're hurt," Red protested, his eyebrows jumping up in surprise and looking over to the gash in Blue's shoulder- which, by now, had ceased bleeding, yet still left a dark red stain on the tattered slices of his tunic. If it hadn't been for Blue, they may not have even survived getting past the invincible army of ghosts… and yet… had it come at too steep a cost…?

Blue gave a grim, unafraid smile, obviously still ignoring the pain in his shoulder. "So? The hell difference does that make?" he retorted dryly.

However, Green shook his head. "You're not invincible, Blue," he said firmly, startling the other briefly, "Don't overdo it. I'll carry him. You and Red stay close and keep watch- if we run into any more ghosts, we'll just have to fight 'em off as best we can until we can get out of here."

Though Blue bit his tongue in quiet frustration at being denied the job, he was quietly grateful for being relieved of the task. And though he'd never admit it aloud… he _was_ getting tired. _Exhausted_, really. He honestly wasn't sure if he would've been able to go through with it if Green had let him… maybe that's why he didn't? Either way, he grit his teeth and snarled as if still upset with the decision, but nodded his head anyways. He was quietly grateful for Green allowing him to keep his pride by refusing his request upon order- even if he never would've admitted that, either.

"Um… guys…"

Broken away from their own conversation, Blue and Green turned to look over at Red- blinking in quiet surprise as they found him not sitting by Vio where he was before, but instead walking over to the turn in the wall and looking around the corner. And when he looked back at them, his voice was once more fraught with worry- and as it shook when he spoke, the density of his words sunk the hearts and widened the eyes of all three Links in horror.

"We… we've got company…"

* * *

><p>His eyes were closed, and he sat in silence.<p>

This had been going on for quite some time… Some sort of meditation, he'd assumed, as part of their tests. They'd moved him away from the labyrinth room, and while he still felt as if he were inside the temple, it was not any place he'd seen in their initial exploration of it- and, if he had to guess, he'd say it was not a place any person could have reached. Though his eyes were closed, he still knew the room, or area, or place he'd been taken to- yet, strangely enough, it had seemed like a vast expanse of the same sort of silver and white mist. And, nix the sounds, he almost wanted to say it resembled a beach- a calm plain of white ground upon which he sat, and in the distance, the lightly swirling, never-ending waves of that same, grey haze.

His eyes still closed, Vio furrowed his brow. He still wasn't sure what all of this would accomplish, or prove… All he was doing was sitting in silence, with his eyes closed. The sages had said something about opening his innermost thoughts to them… revealing to them his 'heart'. What did that even mean, anyways? His thoughts turned bitter and morose as he thought on this. He was not truly a bad person… even without his memories, he had believed, when they first met, that they were meant to be together, meant to do something. And then when Kaepora had led them to the Sanctuary, he'd even heard the voice of the hero within him- or rather, the voice of the hero who he was.

So, _why_? Why was he being put through these tests? Unable to hold back a sigh, his eyes relaxed in quiet dejection as he thought more on it. The sages had gone on and on about his 'heart', and how it was 'closed'. He'd thought it utter nonsense- the heart was merely an organ, serving literally as a means to keep blood through the body. And yet, he still understood its metaphorical meaning and symbol- that many believed it housed emotions, feelings, etcetera. While he was not going to tell himself he disbelieved this idea, it was still silly to think about, at least for him. _A heart cannot be 'opened' or 'closed',_ he thought bluntly, _it merely __**is**__._

And yet, finally, interrupting his thoughts-

"… You may open your eyes."

It was the voice of the same sage who had been speaking to him thus far, and, willingly complying, Vio opened his eyes, blinking once or twice to re-adjust his eyes to the surrounding light. He sat cross-legged on the ground, and the robed figures stood in front of him, in the same manner as always. Frowning, Vio quickly got up, dusting off his tunic- of what, he didn't know, yet it was a habit of his- and turned towards them.

There was a bit of an awkward silence as Vio awaited them to speak first- but when it became clear that they would not, he frowned and crossed his arms. "… Well?" he finally asked, sighing. He was not good at small talk nor conversation, and disliked awkward silences. His eyes travelled with silent worry over the sages before settling on the one in front of him. "… Have you made your decision?" His voice, kept steady only by willpower, betrayed his true feelings as he tried to keep it calm and quiet.

Once more, the first sage looked back towards the others, and, without a word, looked over to Vio once again.

"… You have yet to open your heart to us. Your mind thinks freely- yet your emotions are closed. We can see nothing."

As the sage spoke, Vio felt his anger and guilt growing, until his teeth were grit into a disgruntled frown and his hands were balled into fists at his side.

"What do I have to _do_, then?" he shouted back, unable to keep his voice calm and steady any longer. "How the heck am I supposed to "open my heart" to you- whatever that even means!"

Another silence drifted between the angry child and the numerous, quiet sages. However, once more the sage in front spoke.

"To open your heart to others… you must first open it to yourself."

This was not the answer Vio had been looking for, and his brow furrowed as his eyes closed angrily, and his head looked down to the ground. None of this… made any sense… What was he supposed to do…?

And yet…

… From far off in the distance, as his eyes were close and his head bowed, a quiet sound came to his ears… And, opening his eyes only to narrow them in frustration, he suddenly ignored the sages in front of him as he tried to register the strange, new sound- sounding as if it came from far off, though was very loud at its source.

The noise came once more… though it was quiet and dulled from the distance, Vio knew what it was instantly, and his eyes sprung open wide in shock.

It… it was the others! They were… yelling… shouting out…!

Instantly, Vio turned left and right, looking around him desperately to find where the sound was coming from. He was in the strange place of the temple which seemed to stretch on forever- but there _had_ to be a way out! A way to get to them!

As Vio panicked and looked around, the first sage tilted his head slightly in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asked calmly and quietly.

Rounding on them quickly, Vio shouted in quick, fierce response, "It's my friends! I can hear them, they're in trouble! I must find them!" Once more he turned around, ignoring the sages as he continued to look. But as he heard no response, he blinked in quiet confusion, looking back at them-

-A small hole in the floor had appeared in front of them. Vio's eyes widened- but he quickly dismissed the thought, instead wasting not a second as he ran towards the sages, leaping down the new hole.

Gasping, he quickly caught his fall with his hands and his knees, looking quickly around him to see where he'd landed.

And as he did… his eyes grew wider and wider, and a cold sinking feeling began to slowly weigh him down.

He was back in the first, entrance chamber- but he was far from alone.

The entire room had erupted in chaos, and at the far corner of the room, he saw them.

Red, Blue, and Green… cornered together with their backs to the wall, shields out and their respective weapons swinging around in efforts to keep the innumerable forces of attacking ghosts at bay, they were each desperately trying to fight off the ghost-monsters… Yet slowly, surely, they were being overwhelmed. And yet, they could take no further steps back- and as Vio blinked, something cold and heavy began to eat away at his chest, his startled eyes falling on what lay behind them.

Vio's crumpled, unmoving body lay in a heap close to the wall- and though the other Links were suffering because of it, they refused to take any steps back or away from their friend, keeping their friend's fallen body safe and away from the attacking enemies. They must have done their best to carry him out of the labyrinth, but upon being beset by the ghosts in the central chamber… The three of them formed a shield around him- and though they were far from unbreakable, as he noticed each of them beginning to waver and falter, they were still determined- and as the fight wore on, though they grew tired and slow, not a one of them allowed a step backwards, instead keeping their protective barrier strong over their friend.

And yet, as if the uncountable hoard of ghosts were not enough…

Through the midst of them all, in the far back and yet slowly approaching the heroes, came a ghost similar to all the others- only it towered many feet over them all, heavily clad in a silver-glowing, warrior's armor. A massive, thick broadsword was tightly clenched in its fist- and its soulless, red eyes, glowing from behind a heavy silver metallic helmet, were kept focused on the three heroes as it slowly began to advance upon them. It cackled deep in its throat, the metal rattling around it- and it slowly advanced upon them, Vio knew, with the same, horrible sinking feeling in his chest, his eyes widening in horror, that they would not be able to defeat it.

* * *

><p><strong>Heh, I know, I know, HOW could I end it there? ;P<strong>

**Well, there's still a LOT left to cover, so...**

**Brace yourselves, for the MASSIVELY intense update tomorrow, Chapter Twenty Eight: _Judgement_! :D**


	28. Judgment

**Sorry this upload comes a bit late in the day, guys. Hope you all enjoy it just the same! ^_^**

**Warning: Have your tissues ready!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Eight:<strong> Judgement

* * *

><p>The sounds of battle echoed across the normally wide and empty room of the temple, the harsh clash of shields and swords and the cries of the wounded reverberating across the smooth, stone walls in a way never meant to have been. And yet, as the fight raged on, it was slowly becoming more and more clear which side had the advantage- and which side was slowly but surely being worn down to the ground.<p>

Lashing out with his boomerang, Green cried aloud as he flung his weapon in front of him, using his other free hand to lift his shield and protect himself from the ghastly, ripping claws of an advancing ghost. His boomerang sailed true through the air, whipping and twisting around in its path, slicing into each ghostly form it could reach and toppling the delicately-formed specters in two. Where his boomerang flew, a small, clear trail of destruction was wrought, as the ghosts fell to the ground, sliced apart- and yet, as Green's hand soundly caught his boomerang on its return, he could already see those he wounded starting to reform, picking themselves back up and advancing once more. And though he remained standing firm, his arms holding up both shield and weapon were shaking from a creeping exhaustion.

Green's eyes were wide with worry, yet narrowed in determination. Over and over in his mind he was cursing himself, his stupidity, his carelessness- and, when a small break came in the wave of attacking ghosts, those from in front torn down his boomerang and those behind them struggling to climb over their fallen allies, he took the split-second to glance over his shoulder at their fallen friend. Vio… Green grit his teeth. _That should be me,_ he thought again, blinking away harsh tears as he whirled around, shouting out as he leaped forward, this time his glistening sword in his free hand as he lashed out at another crowd of approaching enemies. _If Vio were here, he'd know a strategy to get us out of this, I never should have lost sight of him…_ His thoughts chided him and tore away at his heart, but he had precious little time to dwell on them, as his attention was forcibly jerked to the losing fight ahead.

The path which Green had torn down through the advancing wall of ghosts was suddenly and instantly frozen, crackling sounds heard as a hissing wall of ice instantly drew itself upwards from the line where the monsters had fallen. The ice grew and grew, thickening itself and doing its best to hold the massive hoard of ghosts back- and though the ghosts stuck behind it were already slashing, clawing, and slamming into it, trying to break through it, it kept rebuilding itself, a thin blast of frosty, chilly air feeding the wall from afar. Red's hand was gripped tight on his Ice Rod as he blasted away as best he could- fire would do him no good against enemies which had no tangible form, he'd realized earlier in the labyrinth room. His Ice Rod had been good for keeping them at bay as they made their escape- but when more surrounded and ambushed them in the room…

Crying out aloud, Red jumped to the side, suddenly startled by an attack from the side. His shield was whirled around beside him and he staggered back, gasping as the gnashing, ripping claws of the cackling, menacing ghost sliced over his shield, sparks flying at the terrifying, screeching impact. There were too many of them… when he tried to block a wave, another would creep up on his side, and he would once more be forcibly pushed a step backwards, one step closer to the wall and further away from defending Vio. And yet, at this sudden thought, his eyes narrowed- with tears already seeping out of his eyes, he shouted out as he leapt forward, swinging his shield outwards like a weapon, using the side of it to cleave the approaching ghost in half. _No!_ he thought firmly, gritting his teeth and taking his lost step back. _I __**won't**__ back down! I'll protect Vio, whatever I have to do!_

Lastly, as if all the roaring sounds of battle were coming from him, Blue shouted out as he leapt forward, lunging outwards and slamming his heavy hammer down on the ground in front of him, both hands wrapped tightly around its handle and his muscles tensing as they drew every ounce of strength he had into the attack. As the hammer struck the ground, cracking the very stone beneath it, the ghosts which had tried rushing Blue were suddenly flung back by the impact, landing on one another and screeching in pain and hatred. Already, however, as he was lifting his hammer and taking a step back, Blue's eyes narrowed upon seeing them get up and move back towards him- though this time more carefully encircling him, chattering and cackling as they did so.

Taking a step back, closer to his friend whom they all were bordering to protect, Blue lowered his arms, his hammer hovering just inches above the ground as he prepared to strike again. And yet… he winced inwardly, he teeth gnashing as a wave of pain rolled through him, a hand instinctively jerking up to clasp tightly over his left arm. The fight of the battle had reopened the wound, and was once more freshly bleeding over his tunic. When he drew his hand back, it was damp and sticky. However, quickly ignoring this, he wiped his hand on the side of his tunic, quickly returning his grasp back to his hammer, wrapping his hands tightly around him as he prepared for a second attack. Blue snarled in rage. _Don't worry, buddy…_ his eyes glanced briefly behind him, narrowing as they jerked forward to the approaching ghosts, who were reading for a second wave. Though Blue tried his best to give his characteristic, bold and unafraid grin, worn down by his pain and exhaustion, it came out as a grim smirk, and he thought as he lunged forward once more… _We've got this._

Vio's eyes watched the battle in horror and quietly sinking despair. His friends… they had tried to get his body out of the temple, perhaps try and figure out why he wasn't waking up… only to be stopped by the growing hoard of ghost-like demons.

Finally, finding his voice, he choked out as he took a step forward, "I… I must help them…!"

And yet, as soon as he moved to jump forward-

A hand caught on his shoulder, and he paused, looking back in wide-eyed surprise.

The sages had followed him- and the one in front had a calm hand on Vio's shoulder. "It is no use," he spoke calmly, his voice the same as it had been before- as if the horrifying, violent scene in front of him was not at all an issue. "In your current state, you can be of no help to them."

Vio's eyes blinked in surprise, but rage quickly took over and he took a step backwards, forcibly stepping away from the sage's hand. "No! I don't believe you," he snapped, his hands balling into fists. "I'm _going_ to help them!"

Without waiting for a response this time around, Vio whirled around from them, running straight and headlong into the fray. His eyes were set on one target- the massive, armored ghost near the back of the army of ghosts, slowly approaching the heroes. And already, a quick plan was forming in his mind as he ran- in one hand, the massive demonic specter held a massive broadsword, and in the other, an octagonal shield. He would ambush it from behind, knocking its sword out of its hand and turning around to use it against him. He could see nothing wrong with-

And yet, as he finally reached the mass of ghosts, his heart stopped, almost stumbling as he ran and looking around him in horror. He had planned to dodge the ghosts to keep from running into them, but a single mistake had caused him to trip and stumble right into one of them- and yet, instead of colliding with the ghost as he had expected, he merely ran right through it, without the ghost even noticing he was there.

Vio's heart began to sink. Were they… correct? Could he truly make no difference in the fight as a mere spirit?

A loud sound echoed across the room, and Vio's thoughts were instantly jerked away by the metallic, yet wailing, ghostly roar of the massive commander of the army as it continued to walk slowly through the mob of smaller ghosts, its sights still set on the three cornered heroes, continuing to fight a losing battle.

Vio's eyes narrowed in determination. Whether he could or not… he had to _try_!

Once more leaping into action, ignoring all those around him, Vio ran as fast as he could towards the backside of the unsuspecting general- and as he lunged forward, his arms jerked nimbly to the side, his fingers ready to wrap around an exposed part of the sword's hilt and his feet already preparing to land at an angle so he would be able to turn and jump away from the expected reaction as soon as he-

And yet, nearly in slow motion, Vio's eyes widened, his breathing becoming cold in shock as his hand passed clean through the hilt of the sword, the soft trail of grey mist trailing from behind his wispy, transparent hand. He caught himself off-guard in the surprise, and, not ready for the sudden failure, found himself tripping over his feet, tumbling once and landing harshly on the ground. He groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, his weary eyes blinking as he looked up…

His eyes widened.

And he watched as, unfazed by Vio's attempted attack, the massive ghost commander took another step forward… and set it down straight through him, the resounding thud of its metallic boot clashing against the stone beneath. And Vio's wide eyes looked at the foot of the creature as it was raised and dragged once more through Vio's wispy form, the great demon striding forward as it continued to approach the heroes.

Gasping and struggling to his feet, Vio stumbled a few steps backwards, his eyes still wide in shock and despair as they watched the crowd of smaller, imp-like specters, and their armored massive commander close in on his friends.

"… There is nothing you can do to help them, young one."

Whirling around at the voice, Vio blinked in surprise as he looked at the sages, who once more stood calmly behind him, the one in front looking down- almost pitiably- at Vio's spirit, wispy form.

"What… what do you mean, there's nothing I can do?" Vio retorted back, though a sinking horror once more gripping him.

The sage in front looked upwards to the approaching mass of ghosts, speaking again. "… The battle is already over. Your friends will not survive this fight. You can do nothing to prevent this."

The words sunk in Vio's chests like heavy stones in a river, and he took a shaky step backwards, his eyes wide and his head slowly shaking. "N-No… I… you're wrong, they…" Though he attempted to refute the claims of the sage, even his own voice betrayed him as it cracked in despair.

Silence was his response, and, still shaking, Vio looked back to the fight with wide eyes, his sight focused on the three friends who stood, backed up into the corner, still forming an unbreakable shield around their fallen friend…

And as tears began to blur his vision, the grey haze of the room blending in with the white mist around him…

_…_

_ "We did it!" a cheerful voice shouted out, the boy in Red jumping up, eyes wide in excitement. "We beat Shadow Link!"_

_ "No," came a blunt, simple response. Ignoring the confused response of the other, the boy in purple clothes balled his hands into fists as he looked seriously at the others, quick to relay to them what he'd learned. "Not yet. There's still the Dark Mirror. If we don't destroy that-"_

_ "Wait!"_

_ Vio blinked, looking to the one who had interrupted him, holding up a hand to stop him mid-sentence._

_ Grinning back at him widely, his eyes full of forgiveness, Blue raised a thumbs-up his way, laughing, "The four of us have been separated a long time." Moving forward, he swung an arm over Vio's shoulder, still grinning. "Hellos first. Save the world later."_

_ And as Green stood there with a smile, Red leaped forward, jumping up to hug Vio as he shouted, "I'm so happy, Vioooooo! I thought you'd __**really **__turned evil!"_

_ And yet- in the instant that his friend jumped forward to give him a hug, the smaller boy's foot accidentally stepped lightly across his own-_

_ Bursting out in a string of yells and curses, Vio fell backwards, howling and clutching his tender foot in pain._

_ The others, laughing along, ran over towards Vio, helping him up and grinning from ear to ear. With their own personalities, their faults and their strengths… they were a team once again, and would always remain so._

_ Always… Always a team…_

_ …_

And in an instant, the world snapped back into clarity, the temple and all in it instantly coming back into focus. Vio gasped as he stumbled back, the wave hitting him sharply and passing over in an instant. He blinked as he tried to recollect his thoughts in an instant… but none of them were the same after what he'd seen… what he'd _remembered…_

The others… they'd never given up on him… they'd always been a team, through the rough times and through the times that tested their patience and willpower as a group…

Taking a shaky step to the side, Vio slowly turned around to face the sages once more- his expression calmed, yet serious- an almost one-eighty turn from before.

"… Please. I know you can save them," his words came quietly, though still shaking. "Please…"

The sages looked simply at one another- however, looking back at the child, the first sage spoke again, his voice monotonous and unwavering, "We have already told you, there is nothing you can-"

"_Screw_ that!" Vio suddenly exploded, shouting out and taking a step forward, unaware of the tears that were spilling over his eyelids. He swallowed a lump in his throat, and his entire body shook. "There's _always_ something you can do!" he yelled furiously, taking a step back and balling his hands into fists as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm not going to give up on them! _Ever_! You wanted to know what was in my heart?-! I'll _tell_ you- _my friends!_"

Once more, ignoring the sages, Vio whirled around quickly and angrily, his burning, wet eyes shut tight as he ran headlong into the fray, his eyes blinking open only to see where he was going…

… And yet… as he ran… the entire world once more seemed to slow down around him, and a strange sort of calm began to resonate through his body… His eyes were set on his friends, who had now been backed up to the furthest corner of the wall, the massive general making its advance and breaking through the smaller crowd of ghosts, raising its broadsword high...

… A voice rang in his thoughts, calm and gentle, in a strange yet somehow familiar voice…

_… What would you give to save them…?_

Vio closed his eyes. The heat of the battle had slowed down all around him, but he continued running, knowing just what he needed to do. His answer was plain and true- it had always been there, after all.

_Anything… __**Everything**__…_

A soft glow of light ran across his thoughts, and in an instant- he knew.

Once more, his eyes slowly opened, and he saw the rest of his plan unfold. They were right in front of him… Red, Blue, and Green, standing above him, with shields up and looking at the giant ghost as its broadsword was swung backwards, preparing for the final swing forward…

Vio narrowed his eyes. He knew… he knew exactly what he needed to do. And he would do it… without a second's hesitation. As time still crawled around him, he took one, final deep breath, calming himself, still running towards them-

His eyes flashed open in determination and conviction.

And, without a second's more notice, as the giant swung his sword forward, Vio leapt forward, past the Links, diving downwards to what lay beneath them-

…

His eyes flew open.

Wasting not a second more, Vio gasped, pushing his body to his feet and grabbing the Four Sword in the sheath behind his back. Time was still halted to a crawl- but as he jumped forward, bursting past the others and lunging forward with his blade… everything happened so fast, and, all at once, it was stopped.

For as his Four Sword had been thrust forward, aimed for the dead center of the knight's armored chest, where he knew its weakness- so, in the same motion, as he leapt forward past the surprised faces of his friends…

A breath of air left his chest in a second, a silent gasp seizing his body as the massive, thick broadsword plunged itself deep through his chest, slicing clean into him and sticking firmly in his chest.

And yet, his eyes wide, as the blade was thrust through his own chest, Vio's hand remained clenched firm and steady around the hilt of his Four Sword, and his eyes became triumphant as he saw the tip of his blade plunge deep, in the same motion, into the hidden weak spot at the center of its chest.

Vio's sword was stuck firmly in the center of the armored ghost's chest… as its sword was thrust clean through his own.

Time snapped back, and the world erupted in the screaming roars of pain from the commander of the ghosts. The controlling orb inside its armor was shattered, and in an instant, the hundreds of imp-like creatures of foul spirit vanished, screeching in horror as the mist around them dissipated, breaking away and shattering into trillions of pieces of light. The commander himself bellowed in pain, its grip on its own sword released as it staggered back, falling out of Vio's sword- which, freed of its target, yet also of its bearer, tumbled uselessly to the ground.

"_VIO!-!-!-!"_

Crying out in surprise and horror, the three Links behind him jumped forward, catching Vio as he fell backwards, his eyes still open- yet calmly, almost glinting in a smile, as he watched the commander before them jerk and writhe around in agony.

Undone and destroyed, the massive specter had only seconds left- and when they had passed, the armor protecting it shattered in a massive blast of dark, pulsing clouds- leaving the wisp of the ghost it was to drift aimlessly into the air, screaming as it twisted and turned in the light of the temple, slowly but surely broken up into pieces, the mist dissolving it until it was completely gone from sight.

And in the silence and emptiness of the room, there was but one sound- the soft, slow thump as Vio's body slumped against the floor, the massive broadsword still stuck half-way through his chest, its handle pointing up to the sky as he laid down against the cool tile, his friends surrounding him and crying out his name in horror and grief.

"Vio! Vio, answer me!" Green shouted, his eyes wide in panic as he held up his friend's shoulder, propping him up slightly as he lay on the tile. His eyes drifted over to the sword plunged through his friend's chest… a growing spot of red had been forming on his tunic where the sword entered his body… His eyes shook, no longer aware of the tears which poured down his cheeks. He looked frantically back to his friend's eyes- they were closed.

"Vio! Open your eyes! Vio!" Blue's voice was loud and terrified as he held up Vio's other shoulder, helping Green keep their friend propped up as he lay on the ground. His eyes also couldn't help drifting over to the thick, massive sword which had been sunk deep into his friend's chest… However, shaking his head and forcibly looking back to his friend's face, he grabbed his friend's shoulder, shaking him once more. "Wake up!"

Lastly, the most silent of them all, his eyes wide and full of hollow dismay, Red knelt beside his fallen friend, struck down in shock and silence and not knowing what to say. His hand, trembling, weakly lifted as it hovered over where the sword was stuck through his friend's chest… and, setting his fingers lightly overtop his friend's tunic, could instantly feel the wet, sticky warmth soaking into his friend's clothes, and dabbing onto Red's hand. His empty eyes, wide and terrified, once more drifted back up to their friend, as the others fell silent.

A soft twitching grew on Vio's face, and slowly, his eyes weakly fluttered open, his entire face numb as his sight drifted to those around him.

"… G… Guys…" he weakly tried to croak out, a cold, bubbling sound forming deep in his throat. Gritting his teeth and swallowing it away, he clenched his eyes, wincing sharply in pain. The others, sprung back into action by Vio's words, once more began shouting and crying their friend's name, trying to lightly shake him or talk to him. Their words were growing more and more jumbled… and as Vio blinked his eyes back open, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he could no longer hear them at all.

And yet…

A small smile was forced on his face as he looked at the others. "I…" Trying to speak, he took a deep, shaky breath- the blade sticking out of his chest rising horrifyingly with the motion of his breath- and once more grit his teeth, forcing himself to smile at the others, who had now fallen silent.

Finally, his eyes closing, he managed to speak once more.

"I… I'm sorry, guys… for… for everything…"

The others were silent as their eyes grew at the horror of his words.

However, Green shook his head. "You… you don't have anything to be sorry for, Vio," he choked out, still shaking his head.

The other two were silent, and Vio once more gave a grim, weak smile. "N-no… I do," he spoke firmly, taking another breath and swallowing past the shudders which were rolling through his body. He knew… he knew his time was running out. His eyes opened once more and he continued firmly, ignoring the pain as he instead spoke, "I… I've never been… open, with you all," he spoke, looking up despondently at the roof of the temple. "My emotions, feelings… I've always… shut you guys out… And I'm… I'm sorry…"

"This… this is all my _fault_," Green gasped, no longer able to keep his composition as he grit his teeth, his head hanging and tears streaming down his cheeks. "I never should have split us up…"

"… You're a great leader, Green…" Opening his tear-stained eyes and looking up in despair, Green listened to Vio's calm words, looking at the small smile on his face. As best he could, Vio gave a small nod his way. "I'm sorry… sorry I ever doubted you… I… I couldn't have asked for any better," he finally finished, giving a grim smile.

However, once more smiling, Vio turned his head as weakly as he could to his left, looking over at Blue's terrified, sullen eyes. Slowly, his fingers trembling, he lifted his hand, holding it out in front of him.

"We… didn't really get off… on the right foot, did we…? … I… I was honored to have… have fought alongside you…" Vio choked out, his smile shaking as he held out his hand for a shake. "… Friends…?"

Blue's eyes were wide, and, as he felt as if he were slugged in the chest, numbly looked down to Vio's offered hand. There was a small silence…

His own hand shaking, Blue reached out and took his friend's hand, holding it firmly and giving it a small shake, opening his mouth to respond in a shaky, though encouraging voice.

"… _Friends_."

Vio gave a weak smile. Another deep breath was taken, and as his entire body shook, a strange cold feeling running through his body, he looked back up to the ceiling, leaning backwards against his friends and slowly closing his eyes. A cold chill ran down his spine… Would this breath… would it be… his last…?

"… Vio…"

Another voice spoke, and, instantly jarred away from his thoughts, Vio forced his eyes to open once more, ignoring the waves of pain and looking to the side at who had spoken.

Red's eyes were wide, and an empty, cold despair filled them. Tears had poured out of his eyes, and now they were red and dried, with dry tear streaks down his cheeks. Vio hadn't noticed it, but Red's hands were wrapped tightly around Vio's empty hand.

"You're… you're gonna be… OK… right? We'll… we'll fix you up," Red spoke, his voice quiet and shaking. "You… you can't leave us yet, you know…" However, even he felt the own hollowness of his words, glancing to the sword sticking out of Vio's chest, only to see how the spot of red around it had grown…

Forcing himself to smile, if not one last time, Vio squeezed his hand which Red held. "I… I don't know, Red… But… You've been… the best friends," he gasped, another wave of pain taking him by surprise as his head laid back, his eyes drifting up to the ceiling. "The best… anyone could ever ask for," he finally finished, his voice shaking and swallowing something in the back of his throat as his eyes clenched shut.

The others shouted out his name again, though he was no longer able to distinguish their voices, or make out what was said… Slowly, he began to calm, his body relaxing against his friends as his mind began to slowly drift away.

And as he faded, one final thought whispered across his thoughts, soothing his aching soul.

… _My friends… are what are in my heart…_

* * *

><p><strong>-sniff- ;_;<strong>

**If you ran out of tissues, go get some more, so you can be ready for tomorrow's chapter: Chapter Twenty-Nine, (-this title has been censored by The Team For Protecting And Preventing FanFiction Spoilers (or TPPFS)-)!**


	29. Disposition

**Hey guys! Sorry again for the late-in-the-day updates. But hey, so long as I've uploaded a chapter today, right? xP**

**ANYWAYS. Back to dramatic scenes! Is Vio truly dead? How will the Links survive without a member of their team?**

**Read ahead to find out!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Nine:<strong> Disposition

* * *

><p>The three Links were silent as they stared in quiet, horrifying despair at the unmoving body of their friend, slumped back in their arms and his closed eyes pointing towards the ceiling. Though they shook his shoulder lightly, his eyes remained closed, and they could only watch as the rise and fall of his chest grew staggering and uneven, slowly fading away.<p>

And as their eyes were drawn down to their friend's chest, trying desperately to avoid the gruesome sight of the sword as they searched for signs of breathing, neither of them began to notice the soft glow radiating behind them… Until it grew so bright, it glinted off against the metal of the massive broadsword, shining in each of their eyes and making them blink and turn in surprise. And to what each of the Links saw there, their eyes and jaws opened in shock.

Numerous figures stood in front of them, and each of them wore long, hooded robes, standing calmly and yet upright in a formation, two behind the first and more behind the two, until they faded out of sight, leaving a number too large to be counted. Yet the most peculiar thing about them was the essence of their forms- for, rather than taking on physical forms, their forms were instead defined by a bright, silvery mist which swirled around their bodies- similar to the ghosts themselves, yet almost delicate, in a much less violent fashion.

The Links were stunned into silence, neither of them finding any words to say. However- words were not needed, as, only moments after the arrival of the strange, robed figures, the light which emanated from them began to grow…

Each of the three stumbling back in shock, their eyes grew wide as they watched the light softly spread towards them- yet engulf and glow over their fallen friend in the center of them all. Outlining his form in a soft, silvery-white haze, the light which grew from the figures slowly covered the boy until he was completely engulfed in his light- and the three Links watched, wide-eyed and briefly stumbling backwards, as their friend's limp form slowly began to hover forwards, lifting in response to the pull of the light…

Slowly, Vio's body was raised, his head hanging limp and his eyes closed, as the light swirled around him and pulled him upwards. And as he rose… Red's eyes jumped to the sword protruding from his chest in shock as the light, growing around the blade itself, slowly began to eat away at the massive hunk of metal…. Until, its job finished, the light once more surrounded the boy, the sword completely gone from his chest, and the soft, warm glow working at his wound, slowly dissipating the dark red stain on his tunic.

And as Vio's body continued to glow, the light becoming stronger and stronger, brighter as it grew outwards from his form… slowly, the robed figure in front reached out his arm, the sleeve of his robe slightly slipped backwards and his fingers lightly pointed towards the boy's chest.

"Young hero…" came the soft voice of the sage, the light now blinding the others so they could no longer see.

"… _Awaken_."

Though the light had been bright and blocked the others' the view of their friend, at these words the glow suddenly and forcefully expanded outwards, and the others were forced to squeeze their eyes shut, shielding their eyes with their hands from the intense light drenching the entire room in an unfathomable brightness.

However… the light did not last for long, and slowly, as it began to fade, the three Links were able to blink away the still-burning sensation in their eyes, adjusting their sight to the dimming light in front of them… And each of them slowly watched as Vio's body was slowly lowered downwards, returning to the ground until once more he lay limply on the floor.

Gasping, and each one of them leaning forward as they moved to crowd around their friend, the three heroes looked urgently over at their friend, their eyes focused intently and earnestly over his closed eyes…

…

And yet…

A single twitch grew around the boy's eyes…

And slowly, as if awakening from a great sleep, Vio's eyelids wearily fluttered open, his deep, blue eyes staring up at the world around him, and the friends who had all moved around and close to him. As he blinked once or twice more, the world coming into focus and noticing those who stood around him… a soft smile began to pull at his lips, and, as the others watched, their hearts still and eyes wide, parted those lips as he moved to speak.

"… Hey, guys."

It was as if a bomb had gone off, and, with a massive explosion of sound and motion, the three Links lunged forward, wrapping their arms tightly as tears poured down their cheeks and their smiles, wide enough to fall off their faces, pushed their cheeks up against their eyes.

"Oof!" He supposed it was all he could mutter at that moment, and Vio's eyes slightly widened as the breath was knocked and squeezed out of his chest, leaning upwards instantly as the others tackled him in tight, ecstatic hugs. However, he couldn't help but grinning, and, with a soft glint in his eyes, leaned into the hug along with them, his arms wrapping tightly around his three friends- never wanting to let go again.

"Heh… y-yeah, I missed you all, too," he teased lightly, trying to keep his voice lightly sarcastic as he fought back tears of his own, his face buried in the friends' hug.

Soon, however, the four friends broke out of their hug, all of them looking at their revived friend with tears in their eyes and smiles wider than he'd ever seen them before.

"V-Vio, we thought… we thought you were…" Green tried to choke out his words, but instead of bursting into tears, couldn't help himself as he laughed in relief, looking joyously at their friend.

Vio grinned- but soon sharply recoiled, shouting out in sudden pain and clutching his arm, looking over to the side. Blue fist was balled up and clenched as he'd punched his friend's shoulder, and while he could obviously see the streaks of tears which had lined down his cheeks, and though he tried his best to hide his grin, his face was contorted as best he could into one of fury. "Ya big idiot, don't you EVER pull something like that again, y'hear me?" he shouted, once more trying to act enraged- but, like Green, unable to keep from grinning or laughing in exuberance as he did so.

Rubbing his shoulder, Vio gave a returned grin back, unfazed by Blue's attempt to seem angry. "You guys would've done the same for me," he pointed out simply, a small smile on his face.

Finally, catching him by surprise, Vio's eyes widened as he was suddenly hugged fiercely once more, and looked down with a weak grin as a bawling Red buried his face in his friend's tunic, sobbing and all the while unable to stop talking about how happy he was and how he'd thought Vio was really gone. Grinning, Vio wrapped an arm around Red in a half-hug- though also lightly prying him off, as he moved to sit up.

And yet…

As the joy from the moment began to calm down, each of the four Links found themselves blinking lightly in surprise, and turning to look to the figures from before…

They stood just as they had before, calm and quiet and looking upon the scene with hardly a movement or a sound.

As the other three looked on with confusion, Vio instead smiled, nodding towards them in familiarity.

"… So, I suppose this means I have passed?" he asked lightly, his eyes glistening in a smile as he looked, in a new light, at the sages.

However, without a word in response, the sage instead turned and looked over to the side, his hand rising- as the other sages also copied his motion- and pointing towards the massive, locked door from before. There was no spectacular show of lights this time around- but instead, the Links' eyes trailed over to the lock itself, and watched as it was slowly dissolved away from the inside by a faintly glistening light.

The sages returned their gaze over to the four Links.

"… You four are worthy," the first spoke again- and, surprising all of them, slowly moved his arm over his chest, leaning forward in a bow. "Please, enter… and receive our treasure, the Air Element." The sages behind him followed him in the bow, and slowly, the four Links got to their feet, looked at the sages, then back to one another, exchanging wide grins.

"We will," Green answered with a firm nod, having wiped away the streaks of tears on his cheeks, now grinning with renewed confidence and determination.

The others, looking once more at each other and exchanging smiles, nodded to each other and turned towards their leader, ready to proceed. However, as they all returned their gazes to the sages…

From the stained-glass ceiling above, light shone on the empty tile floor where the sages had once stood. And as each of the Links looked around, they were no longer in sight.

Finally, it was a calm voice which broke the silence.

"… We should get moving," Vio said calmly, a small smile on his face. As the others looked towards him, he merely kept smiling as he said, "The Air Element is most surely behind that door. The sages would not lie."

Grinning again, from ear to ear, the three Links around him nodded, all of them moving as a team towards the door and beyond, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead- together.

* * *

><p>The staircase seemed almost endless, its steps continuously spiraling upwards and upwards, higher and higher as the Links continued to climb its stairs on the other side of the unlocked doors. And as they walked, with high spirits, they talked and joked, laughed and teased each other, once more enjoying the fact that they were all together again- a team, working together and staying together. The seemingly never-ending staircase hardly even detracted from this excitement, and none of them were in the least distracted as they continued to walk up the stairs.<p>

However, just as it seemed they were each beginning to tire from the sheer amount of flights they must have ascended- as they rounded another turn, the four sets of eyes slightly jumped up in surprise upon noticing a heavy-set door a few feet in front of them. No longer engrossed in their previous conversations, they nodded once more to each other, each of the four moving together to push open the heavy door, creaking as it slowly swung open, and slamming heavily behind them as they jumped through.

Instantly, the first thing the heroes dead as they leapt through the door was set their hands firmly around their shields, looking around them quickly to assess their new surroundings and determine any threats that might be lying nearby. The blast of wind which hit them as soon as they entered the door, and the bright sunlight beaming down from above was an instant indicator they were now outside- and with the clouds all around them, above and below, it was clear that they were someplace high and elevated above the rest of the temple.

However, nothing much else was noticed by the four before their attention was instantly snapped, directed towards the center. The Links stared, wide-eyed and in stunned shock, at what lay only a few feet in front of them.

Though at first the noise had been covered by the dull howling of the wind, with their attention now focused on this, it was now clear to them what the sound was- a deep, rumbling sound, even and calm- though with a low, malicious hint in the back of the voice. The low, heavy breathing sounds continued, and the Links looked on, each taking an instinctive, quiet step backwards, as they stared at the two sleeping, gargantuan monsters before them.

Lying in a heap in front of them, intertwined and with their heads resting on the stone, lay two massive, intimidating dragons. They were wingless and bore no limbs, and the backs of their snake-like bodies were covered in a bountiful, thick amount of mane-like hair which rippled and blew in the breeze of the sky tops. The ends of their tails tapered off to a point, yet were absolutely covered in an amassment of large, black-and-white feathers. And though each of the two dragons looked just like the other, one stark difference between the two was one's brilliantly red-scaled body, the other, painted in blue. And yet, even then, there was one more difference between the two that the Links could see, as they lay sleeping on the ground.

Though both of the dragons' heads were half-covered in a metallic mask which covered the tops of their faces, the red dragon's two horns atop its head were curved upwards like a demon's, with massive fangs protruding up into the sky. The blue dragon, in similarity yet stark contrast, bore two horns on top which were angled and hooked downwards, with saber-like fangs protruding down out of the top of its mouth. And yet, through these differences, the Links noticed one similarity between the masks of the two dragons- in the center of their foreheads, set in the heavy iron of the dragons' masks, glowed a diamond-shaped gem. The red dragon held a glistening, blue diamond in its forehead, while the blue wore the gem with the color of its opposite.

Lastly, as the Links took another step back from the gargantuan, sleeping monsters, they each noticed one more thing about the two: around their necks, fitted tightly just below their heads, were two heavy, metal chains. Thick and sturdy, the cuffs pressed firmly against the necks of the dragons, and on each cuff led to a series of thick and strong chain links, binding together in a long chain- the ends of each were set and cemented firmly into the ground beneath them.

Finally, though the Links had remained still and silent, looking in shock and caution at the two dragons, one spoke.

"… This is Veran and Onox's work," Vio breathed quietly, his eyes narrowed as he studied the dragons. When the others looked towards him, he gave a grim smile, saying, "I had spoken with the sages earlier. They told me that all intruders are killed and turned into ghosts- like the ones we fought- but those too strong for them to deal with," he added grimly, looking back at the dragons, "… they can only incapacitate."

Green nodded, understanding, and also glanced back towards the two sleeping dragons. "They must've put them under a spell, then," he muttered. "I'll bet anything they were sent to destroy the Air Element."

"Then, how're we supposed to get the element?" Red whined quietly, shrinking back behind Vio and looking at the two slumbering monsters in worry.

"… How, indeed."

The voice which responded to Red's question was not one of their own- and, eyes wide in recognition, the four Links spun around from one another, looking out towards the dragons once more. And who stood there had not been there only moments before.

Standing simply by the heads of the slumbering dragons and looking down idly at them, Shadow raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms, looking down, unimpressed, at the enchanted beasts. Idly, he tapped his foot- only inches beside the snarling fangs of the dragons. "Hmph," he scoffed, looking away boredly, "And to think Veran and Onox told me _they'd_ take care of this one. Guess it only goes to show," he added, his smirk turning into a twisted grin as he looked up at the four heroes, "the only person you can trust to get the job done right is yourself."

"_Shadow_!"

Surprising everyone with his fierce and enthusiastic voice, Green stepped forward, his eyes wide- yet a certain hint of worry and determination glistening in those blue eyes. The others looked at him surprise- and even Shadow looked over, raising an eyebrow in mock interest, at the one who'd stepped forward.

"You… you're our _friend_, Shadow!" Green insisted, looking sadly over at their friend as he pleaded with him. Ever since he had gotten his memory back, he remembered… their friend, Shadow, and all he'd done for them before. The others, Vio and Blue, may not have yet remembered, but… _he_ did. So why didn't Shadow…? "Don't you _remember_ us, Shadow? Why are you trying to kill us, after all we went through together?" he implored, shaking his head in sorrow.

Shadow's eyes flew open, and his grin twisted into an angry snarl. However, before he could even retort-

"Yeah! C'mon, Shadow, don't you remember us?" Red's voice suddenly piped up as he took a step forward beside Green, also trying to talk some sense into their friend. He remembered Shadow… "You never would've done this to us!" he pleaded, "You… I dunno how you're alive, but before, I mean, you _died_ for us, Shadow! We're your _friends_! Not enemies!"

Vio and Blue, as Green and Red pleaded with the dark boy in black, had looked once at them, then at each other, blinking in surprise. Shadow was… their friend? These words shocked them as much as they were sure they shocked the other, but… if what Green and Red said was true, and they _had_ gotten back their memories… they looked sadly over at Shadow.

Green took another step forward, his eyes fierce in determination. "You're _not_ the bad guy, Shadow!" he shouted. "You're supposed to be _helping_ us! What about our friendship- What about _Zelda_?-!"

"STOP IT!"

The loud voice startled all of the Links, and their eyes went wide- though Green still looking at their friend in sorrow- at the boy in black who had shouted.

Shadow's eyes were wide in fury, slightly panting from the yell, his hands balled tightly into fists at his side. His lips were pulled back into a sneer, his teeth tightly clenched together as he tried to deny everything they were telling him. What the hell kind of trick were they trying to pull on him?-! The others were stunned into silence- and Shadow used this opportunity to retaliate, shouting as he stepped fiercely forward.

"Stop trying to lie to me!" he snarled at them, his eyes narrowed into hateful, painful, red slits. "You four have been the cause of all my suffering! And I WILL repay you for _all_ of it, _mark my words_!" Shouting aloud once more, the boy whirled around, a ball of shadow magic twisting around his fist… and, before the others could shout or try and stop him, had slammed his burning fist fiercely on the ground before them.

The Links behind him widened their eyes as a sharp, metallic clanking sound ricocheted off the tower around them and was lost in the wind and clouds all around them. Panting, Shadow stood up, turning around and lightly rubbing his fist, while setting his narrowed, fierce eyes on the Links. From behind him, near his feet, the two chains which had been bound to the cement now lay in pieces- the only links left were those still bound to the necks of the dragons. Slowly, he took a step forward- and, as the heroes began to notice with horror, the heads of the dragons at his feet were slowly beginning to move, their closed eyes tightening and their even breathing becoming uneven, a low growling sound rumbling through their throats as they began to awaken…

Finally, as they all looked up at Shadow, realizing what he had done, he gave another harsh sneer.

"… Like I said. You kids will pay," he snarled, slowly raising his hand up beside him. "… Let's see you four get out of this one," he added with a grin, and in an instant, snapped his fingers. In a quick flash of black, shadowy clouds, the boy was engulfed in the shadows of darkness- and a split second later, the clouds had gone, and the boy had vanished entirely from the tower.

After a small pause, Blue turned on Red and Green, snarling as he snapped, "Friends? Enemies? What the _hell_ was that all about?-!"

Red, looking with despondent eyes to the ground, whined as he turned back towards them, "I… I don't know why he doesn't remember us…" He looked up at Green. "Maybe he lost his memories, like us…?"

Looking over at Red sadly, Green sighed and looked off to the side, putting a hand to his forehead and idly massaging it. "I… I don't know, Red…"

"Um… guys? I think we have bigger problems at the moment," came Vio's calm, yet firm voice- and as the others looked to where he was pointing, their eyes grew wider and wider as they stumbled backwards, standing close to each other as the horror in front of them only grew.

The eyes of the two dragons had snapped open- and, their lips pulling back into a snarl, each of their heads had slowly raised, their backs and bodies curling backwards like a snake as they slowly raised upwards, the chains dangling from their necks clinking and clattering in metallic sounds. Slowly, their necks arched upwards, stretching high above… And, lunging forward, the two dragons opened their jaws open in a wide, massive roar, powerful currents of wind bursting out from their mouths as they screamed and roared at their enemies.

Wasting not a second more, the two massive beings, the red and blue dragons, the Serpentine Tempest Pair, Aghorgras, looked at one another- before, with another screeching, roaring cry outwards, lunged upwards- and though the Links all cried out as they crouched downwards, holding up their shields, each turned the opposite direction- and, their bodies twisting around behind them, each dragon lunged off the side of the pillar- and the Links watched in horror as they took to the skies in flight, twisting and whirling around in the sky around them and screeching in rage and fury.

As the Links followed the gaze of the two dragons, which had both split up and were flying around the pillar on opposite sides, as if stalking and encircling their prey, Vio's eyes widened as he caught sight of something he hadn't seen before. They were on top of a massive, tall pillar, yes- but surrounding the flat, wall-less tower they stood on were six thinner, yet taller, pillars around them. Perhaps they could be of some use to them…? And yet, as the red dragon passed his sight, bellowing and twisting in the air, with gusts of wind bursting from its mouth at every roar, Vio's eyes widened as he noticed something even better.

"Guys! What do we do?" came Blue's loud and urgent voice as he tried his best to keep sights on both of them- yet only found himself twisting and turning his head every few seconds, watching one encircle his left, only for another to turn around and come up on his right. He grit his teeth. They were teasing them, playing with them… It would only be a matter of time before the dragons lunged downwards, their bodies twisting around in eager, demented glee, and cornered the four heroes against each other.

"I've got an idea," Vio said urgently, looking at the others as they all turned to look towards him. He jerked out his hand towards one of the passing dragons- "See those chains still on their necks?" The others nodded, and Vio gave a grim smile. "Blue and Green, when the dragons get close, each of you need to grab those chains and hold them down. That'll bring their heads to the ground, where Red and I can stab the gems on their masks!"

Instantly, the three around him gave a quick, urgent nod, understanding at once and ready to follow his plan. Blue's face with grinning with eagerness, Green's calm and serious, and Red, though slightly frightened, was doing his best to conceal his worry with a hardened face of determination. Vio gave a calm smile.

"I know we can do this, guys," he added with a grin.

The others, grinning and laughing, nodded eagerly to the friend, each clapping themselves on the back before giving firm and quick nods, turning and running to opposite sides of the tower as they prepared the plan.

The dragons, though far away and high in the sky as they encircled the main pillar, seemed to know what the Links were planning- for as soon as they began to split up, two on one side and two on the other, they once more roared and screeched in fury, turning towards the tower from opposite sides. Their mouths wide open and gales of powerful wind bursting from their jaws, and their snake-like bodies twirling eagerly in the air around them, feathers and hair bristling and waving in the wind, the two dragons, red and blue, lunged downwards and towards the center pillar, jaws wide open and ready to devour what stood in their way.

Green, on his side with Vio, held his shield tight as best he could to keep himself from behind pushed back from the wind, while Vio waited quietly and readily behind him. Likewise, Blue, on his side, was keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground, struggling against the wind that they blew as they advanced upon them. And yet, each of the heroes could see the metallic chains dangling from their necks as they moved in-

And in the split second where the two dragons lunged forward on the pillar, mouths wide open-

Leaping forward, rolling over his shield and under the waiting jaws of the dragon, Green quickly moved into position as he jumped forward, his arms reaching out for the dangling chain- And, gasping as his hands clenched tight around it, landed sharply back on the ground, using all of his might to bring the chain down to the ground.

And, on the other side of the pillar, as Blue's fists clenched tight around the metallic chain, the Link shouted out as he landed firmly on the ground, jumping backwards and jerking the chain in his effort to bring the dragon to a stop, resulting in its lost momentum carrying it forward and onto the stone pillar.

With each Link carrying out their duties, the result was loud and instantaneous- their targets missed, the dragons screeched and roared in sudden surprise- only for those roars to change high-pitched as the chains around their necks were suddenly jerked, and, unable to halt their forward momentum, found themselves slamming down onto the pillar-

The light of the sun flashed against the two blades of the Four Swords as they lunged forward, wielded by Red and Vio, in opposite directions yet moving as one, leaping forwards and swinging their swords downwards, plunging them deep into the diamond-shaped crystals on the tops of the dragons' heads.

Roaring, screeching, bellowing and writhing in pain, the dragons instantly jerked backwards, the two Links letting go of the chains and the other two leaping off the dragons, swords still in their hands, back onto the pillars.  
>Regrouping into the center of the pillars, the four Links, panting and heaving from their exhaustion, looked at one another to make sure they were all safe before turning their sights back on the two dragons.<p>

Both red and blue, writhing and twisting in the air in pain, were reeling backwards from the attack, the gems on their foreheads shattered and their entire bodies stricken with agony. However, their spastic and sporadic movements did not last long- and, almost as soon as they had been struck, suddenly grew silent and still- and, unmoving, the two dragons succumbed to the pull of gravity, slumping in mid-air as their limp bodies plunged downwards, past the main pillars, out of sight.

An eerie silence drifted among the four heroes- though unlike the previous three times, they each stood calm and quiet, still keeping their battle stances and their shields at the ready as they scanned the skies around them. They each knew- it could not yet be over.

And in an instant, what they each knew to be true was so- and yet, far more than what they were even expecting, came a sight that sunk their hearts and widened their eyes in horror.

Bursting above from below the pillars came the massive screech and roars of the dragons, but as the massive beast flew upwards, the Links could see how it had changed. Though it remained two separate dragons, they had joined together at the base of their necks- and the rest of the body had grown, mutated, and fused together. Two massive, terrifying wings rose up from behind its back, with four, muscular and heavy-set legs underneath its stomach, and though its tail was split into two at its ends, no longer were mere feathers at the tips- instead, on each end had grown a massive, sharply-angled scythe, each pointing in different directions yet both sharp and menacing as they sliced through the air around it. And no longer were simple feathers and hair laced down its back- but instead, vicious, curved spikes were lined down their necks and backs, stretching all the way down to their saber-ended tails.

Screeching once more in rage and lashing its powerful wings out behind it, the two conjoined dragons, Fused Draconic Monstrosity- the massive beast Aghorgra once more burst a gale and storm of wind from its jaws as it bellowed and dove downwards, towards the pillar, jaws wide open and aimed for the four children down below.

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><p><strong>Aw, Shadow... c'mon, you know we love ya. ):<strong>

**And yeah, I know, I'm _so_ original with boss names. (asdgfhjfslsdfjhgk -facedesk-)**

**ANYWAYS. Get ready for the conclusion to the epic battle in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Thirty: _Discern_!**


	30. Discern

**Hey guys, I know this update comes a bit late in the day, but hopefully it'll more than make up for that- this is my FAVORITE boss fight chapter thus far.**

**Hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty:<strong> Discern

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><p>Not a second was given to the Links for time to react before the monstrous dragon was once more upon them, its direction changing mid-flight as it dove downwards, both necks strained outwards and jaws opened wide in the sudden attack. Gusts of ferocious, powerful burst from between their jaws, and as they rammed the pillar, raking the stone with their claws and gouging off hunks of stone with their tails, sending the massive chunks falling and spiraling downwards through the sky, the two-headed dragon Aghorgra lunged for the four heroes in their deadly rampage.<p>

"LOOK OUT!" Green cried out, diving off to the side only seconds before the jaws of both dragons sailed over him, shouting out as his fingers clung desperately to the rock beneath them, the billowing gusts of wind blowing sharply over him and making his tunic ripple madly in the gale, doing all it could to blow him off-balance and off the massive, central pillar.

The three others dove downwards to the side as the dragon lunged forward, each of them taking note of their leader and clinging to the stone- only realizing as the massive beast passed overhead of them just how strong the winds were, blowing fiercely over them and threatening to loosen their grips on the ground at any moment.

However, as the giant beast sailed over and past them, rising once more into the sky and creating more gusts of air from its loud, massive beats of its wings, the wind bluntly subsided over the heroes, and Vio wasted no time in leaping up, setting his gaze over the dragons as his mind frantically worked out how they would defeat this abomination.

"I… I thought if we'd get those damn jewels, then…!" Blue shouted as he stumbled to his feet, shaking his head to try and clear his dizziness from the blasts of wind which had shot over them as they'd clung to the floor of the pillar to keep from being blown away. He looked over at Vio. "What do we do now?-!"

Instantly, Vio grit his teeth. "It's going to keep trying to blow us off the pillar," he shouted grimly, taking a step back as he continued to follow the movement of Aghorgra as it continued flying through the skies around them. "And it's using its claws and those sabers on the ends of their tails to slowly destroy the rock around us."

"Then… then that means," Red whined, slowly understanding as he drew close to the others.

"Before long, they'll have this pillar destroyed, and we'll fall," Green finished with a bleak look on his face, glancing over towards Vio. "Whatever we do, we've gotta keep from falling, or being pushed off," he insisted. "But I don't see how we can-"

"Everyone, get down!" Vio suddenly shouted, his eyes wide as he dropped down to the floor in an instant. He'd been watching the chaotic, terrifying flying movements of Aghorgra- but even then he was caught off-guard as the massive dragon suddenly twisted around, whirling to the opposite direction in a split second. Its wings tucked behind it, both tails curling viciously to the side and both necks leaning in its new direction, the monstrosity defied nearly all the laws of physics as it swung to the side on a dime, keeping all its momentum as it began to dive towards the four heroes.

Reacting instantly, without wasting time to look to where Vio had shouted, Green also hit the floor, pushing his hands out in front of him to catch his fall and hold on to the cracks in between the stone of the floor, bracing for the expectant gusts of wind and the roar of the great dragon monster as it flew overhead-

And yet, while he was expecting the terrifying, deep growls of Aghorgra- another sort of sound echoed from overhead him, and his heart sank, his blood chilling and running cold as he recognized what it was. Whirling around and jumping up, Green- with Vio leaping up next to him- looked upwards in horror as the dragon continued to fly over them- and yet, holding the sources of the two news sounds in its claws.

Crying aloud- one in rage and the other in terror- Blue and Red, grasped tightly in the menacing grasp of the dragon's front claws, struggled tightly against their captors as they were suddenly snatched up from the pillar's surface, carried upwards and into the sky along with the terrifying beast.

"BLUE! RED!" Green shouted, his eyes wide and gasping as he stumbled forward, yet his eyes looking up, wide and in terror, as he was helpless to keep the roaring dragon from flying upwards, into the sky, carrying two of the children in its grasp.

Struggling against the claws of the monster, Blue grit his teeth as he pushed his trapped arms against the massive claws, struggling as best he could to get out of its grip. "Damnit! Let go!" he shouted, yet either ignoring or unaware of the fact that yelling would do nothing to dissuade the dragon.

"Gah! Blue! What do we do?-!" Red shouted in fear as he squirmed as best he could against the claws, his feet dangling from underneath and both arms trapped beneath Aghorgra's talons.

From back on the ground, Green could only stare at them in horror. "Red… Blue… We… What do we do?-!" he shouted, whirling around to face Vio- and blinked when he saw Vio's back towards him, standing calmly and looking outwards. His face flushed, he took a step back, shouting, "Vio! Aren't you paying attention?-! Blue and Red just got-!"

Calmly, Vio spoke.

"… I know. Look." Still looking away from Green, Vio pointed upwards to the tall pillars surrounding them. And when he turned to look towards their leader, Green blinked in surprise, suddenly feeling an immense amount of guilt for yelling at his friend- whose face seemed torn apart and distraught, though doing his best to keep it together.

"… If those dragons get close to the pillars, Blue and Red can jump off there and be safe," Vio said, his voice trying to remain calm. After his friends had been taken, he, too, had felt as if a piece of his heart had flown off with them… but not ready to lose his friends after he'd died for them, he'd already remembered the pillars from before- and, watching the dragon fly, was ready to initiate their plan, keeping as calm as he could to make sure Red and Blue stayed calm, too.

Green swallowed a lump in his throat, nodding. "I… I see," he muttered, looking up to the dragon as it continued to roar and fly around, their two friends still clung in their grasp. Gritting his teeth, the leader nodded, looking over towards Vio.

Returning the nod, Vio stepped forward, still watching the dragons, and called out as best he could.

"BLUE! RED!"

Vio's shout carried much louder than any of the Links had heard it before, and, even from above, struggling to get free of the dragon, Blue and Red blinked, looking down as they heard Vio call out their names.

"ARGH! WE'RE KINDA _BUSY_ AT THE MOMENT, VIO!-!" Blue roared back furiously as he continued struggling and pushing against Aghorgra's grasp.

"The pillars! Drop down on the pillars when you get close!" Vio continued to yell, ignoring Blue's stubbornness for the moment and praying that the two would be able to make out his words and follow them.

Red's eyes, though frantic, drifted to the side, his hair and clothes still whipping around in the wind as they flew in the dragon's massive, arced talons. Those blue eyes widened and he yelped in sudden surprise as a massive stone tower suddenly flew past their vision, inches close to them- and it was then that he realized what Vio meant.

"Blue, the dragon keeps flying close to these pillars!" he shouted, looking over to the side at his fellow captive. "We need to drop down onto those!"

Grunting, and finally managing to jerk out one of his arms from the dragon's gasp, Blue grinned, nodding towards Red. "Not a problem!" he said, laughing. "C'mon!" he shouted in fury, suddenly grinning- and, as Red's eyes widened, watching Blue reach behind his back, understood what he was going to do.

Vio's eyes widened. Wait for it… almost… Aghorgra's movements were so chaotic, so uneven and unpredictable, he couldn't be 100% sure that its current trail of flight would continue onwards to the next pillar… But… he had to try… Wait for it…

His eyes flashed.

"NOW!" he shouted, stepping forward and calling out as loud as he could to his friends.

Lashing out from behind his back his Four Sword, Blue grinned wildly as he shouted out, swinging his sword down, and plunging it deep into the flesh of the dragon's foot which held onto him.

Roaring in pain, Aghorgra swung its heads back in forth as the sharp sword sunk into its foot, and in an instant, its leg holding blue was jerked forwards, the claws opening-

And crying out, Blue shouted as he fell from the dragon's grasp, free-falling through the sky and the clouds and the wind-

Gasping as he slammed against the ground, Blue quickly caught himself before he would topple over the edge, grasping the stone beneath him and leaping up quickly to a stand on his new footing. His eyes were wide and he looked up overhead, just in time to see Aghorgra screeching as it continued flying around in a circle around the numerous raised pillars-

"RED! YOU TOO, _NOW_!"

Blinking, Blue glanced down, away from his own pillar at the center tower where Vio and Green still stood- and, upon hearing Aghorgra screech once more in pain, jerked his head to the side- just in time to see Red's shouting, plunging form as he fell from the grasp of the dragon, his sword in his hand, only to land near-perfectly on the pillar adjacent to him, though still far away, as the pillars were all widely spaced out from each other.

"It worked!" Red cheered out loudly as he stood up.

"Yeah, hooray, it worked, NOW WHAT?-!" Blue shouted out, his fury building as he whirled around, looking back down at Vio and Green from atop the pillar-

And, gasping, his eyes wide, suddenly stumbled backwards as the massive, roaring form of Aghorgra burst out from beside the pillar, its flight aimed in an almost 90 degree angle upwards. Having fallen back against the stone, Blue looked up with wide eyes as the dragon continued flying upwards…

… And yet, suddenly, as if its momentum were beginning to fade, the flight of the dragon slowed down… and, roaring in fury, turned its heads and wings downwards as it fell back downwards, flying again around the even height of the pillars Blue stood on.

Blue's eyes widened. "H-Hey! Vio!" he shouted, jumping forward and leaning as far as he dared to over the pillar. "The dragon thing won't go any higher than these pillars!" he yelled, "I don't know why, but it falls if it goes too high!"

Vio's eyes blinked as he heard, though quiet and far-off, Blue's words. If this were true, then… He watched as the dragon continued to fly in fury around the pillars higher than them encircling the main tower they were on. Where he and Green were, there was no chance they'd be able to attack it… But if they were on the pillars Blue and Red were on… Slowly, he nodded, understanding.

"Blue, Red! _STAY THERE_!" he shouted to them, before turning quickly to Green, his eyes narrowed and serious. "We can make this work for us," he said urgently and quickly, "If I'm correct, we can turn this all around and defeat it. I'm certain those jewels on their faces- they haven't been destroyed, just the outer crystal protection broken- are their weak spots, but we can't reach them from down here!"

Green nodded firmly. "What do you want us to do?" he asked calmly, ready to do what his friend said- though quietly excited and mystified by the prospect. How things seemed, with them separated, surrounded by the monster and completely out of their element… and Vio could take it all to their advantage and allow them to win?

Nervously, Red backed away from the pillar's edge, looking all around them at the endless expanse of sky, and then over to the pillar beside him at Blue. What… what were they going to do? He'd never felt so lonely, so terrified and so worried for everyone else, they were separated, facing a terrible two-headed dragon, stranded on these giant pillars, what were they gonna-

And instantly, shouting out in surprise, Red found himself jumping backwards, his eyes wide and looking upwards in shock at the sight flying past him.

Aghorgra, flapping its wings and roaring loudly, was struggling through the air, jerking from side to side as if trying to get something off of it. And as Red's eyes brightened in excitement, he couldn't even help himself from grinning at what he saw.

Vio and Green, each of them grasping ahold for dear life of the two chains that dangled from each dragon-head's neck, were struggling to hold on to the chains as they rode underneath the dragon's neck, staying on despite the constant chains' swinging and the dragon's frantic diving and whirling around in mid-air flight. Their faces were narrowed and hardened in determination, yet they kept their grasp on the swinging, dangling chains as Aghorgra continued to fly around, roaring in rage.

"_Damn_, that's cool!" Blue shouted out as he laughed, pumping his fists in excitement as he watched Vio and Green hold onto the flying dragon's chains. "I wanna try that!"

And yet, as the two had planned, right at the moment when the giant dragon flew over by one of the pillars-

The two Links shouted out as they plunged from beneath the dragon, letting go at precisely the correct time, each of them gasping as they landed on the harsh pillar. Aghorgra, screeching and roaring once more in irritation- though now flying around once more as it was freed of its unwanted passengers- jerked away from the pillars, flying around as it began to circle them- though, Vio noticed with a grin as he got to his feet, it flew no higher than the pillars upon which they stood.

"Alright, I'll admit it, that was kind of awesome," Green gasped as he staggered to his feet, grinning weakly and standing beside Vio, ignoring the throbbing pain in his hands from holding onto the chains. "Now what?"

Just as he had expected- for some reason, Aghorgra was flying in a large circle around the pillars, going no higher than their elevation, and every once in a while blasting a gale of wind at a pillar or slashing at it with its tails. And when it turned towards them- Vio grinned, giving a nod.

"Blue! Red!" he shouted, turning towards them. And when they looked over his way, their attention focused on Vio, he grinned as he yelled out, "This might sound crazy, but when that dragon passes you, do what we just did and jump on a neck's chain! One of you needs to hold it down while the other climbs its neck and stabs at the jewel on its head! Green and I will get the other head!"

Though a small second of silence passed between them, a response came quickly-

"ARE YOU _INSANE_?-!"

Both Red and Blue had shouted it, but while Red's jaw was wide open in shock, hardly believing what their usually calm and safe friend was saying, Blue's was curved upwards in a wild grin, and he was nearly laughing, excited for the prospect.

"Vio… are you sure about this?" Green asked quietly, raising an eyebrow and looking over with quiet concern at their friend.

A small smile grew on Vio's face, and he nodded. "Positive," he said grimly, looking at their leader. "It's the _only_ way. You'll go with me, right?"

Green's grin was instant, and he raised a hand- which Vio quickly took, the two friends firmly grasping their hands together. "_Always_," Green said firmly, grinning and giving his friend a nod.

"_Hell_ yeah! Let's do this, Red!" Blue roared from his pillar, already running to the edge of the pillar and preparing to jump.

And as soon as the roaring Aghorgra flew past the pillar Blue stood on- laughing and shouting aloud, the Link leapt forward, unafraid, into the blue and white of the sky, his outstretched arms reaching for one of the dragon's chains… And while the others were watching with wide, worried eyes, Blue's eyes were instead narrowed in determination, focused on his target.

With a quick gasp and a laugh, Blue's hands grasped around the thick metal of the chain, his body swinging as the chain was jerked from side to side, the dragon roaring and jerking its head as it flew over past the pillar. Panting and laughing, the thrill urging him on, Blue grasped one hand over the other as he climbed up the chain, wrapping his legs around the links below as he swung himself over, wrapping an arm around the blue scales of the dragon's neck itself.

And, without any further hesitation, Blue shouted out as he vaulted himself, in mid-air as the dragon flew mercilessly around the sky, over the dragon's back, wrapping his legs around its scaly neck and grasping one the horns on its back with his hands for leverage. He grinned- for a second, enjoying the mere fact that he was riding a frickin' _dragon_- but wasted no more time as he continued to reach forward, climbing the neck as best he could so he could get at the jewel on the top of the dragon's thrashing, roaring head.

However-

Suddenly shouting out, his eyes wide, Blue leaned forward, wrapping his arms tight around the neck of the dragon as he tried to hold, the dragon beneath him suddenly changing directions as it flew, screeching and writhing and thrashing about in midair. And yet, as he tried to look around him and figure out where he was, something even more terrifying caught his eyes, and they widened as he cried out in shock.

"RED!-!-!"

Crying out in surprise, Red found himself stumbling backwards as the dragon, nearly out-of-control it its attempt to shake Blue off its neck, suddenly slammed into the smaller, thinner pillar upon which he stood, blasting off massive chunks of rubble from the pillar and causing its build to crack. Already, the massive tower was beginning to tip, boulders flying all around Red as he scrambled to keep his footing.

However, narrowing his eyes in sudden determination, Red grit his teeth, firmly planting his feet on the ground as he raced over the tipping surface of the pillar, dodging the falling rubble until he made it to the edge-

And, without a second's hesitation, leapt up and out towards the dragons, his arms quickly wrapping around the chain which Blue had only seconds before grabbed a hold of before climbing on the dragon's neck. No longer crying out in fear or worry, Red's face was instead hardened in determination and concentration as he focused all his might on holding onto the chain, jerking it down as he held on to the flying, raging dragon.

Vio and Green breathed audible sighs of relief, glad to see their friends were half-way there. They each looked at each other, giving a small nod- they were next. Looking back towards Aghorgra, they each braced themselves, preparing themselves mentally and physically as the spiraling out-of-control dragon, roaring and thrashing about, began to fly towards them-

And, all at once, it was upon them.

Lashing out with its deadly saber-ended tails, hooked claws and tusk-like fangs, the massive two-headed dragon flew towards the two heroes on the pillar, its wings beating heavily behind it and generating the powerful gusts of wind as it moved in for the attack.

Leaping forwards, his arm in front of him as he tried to block out the wind, Green lunged forwards, reaching out with his arms and firmly grasping ahold of the other dangling chain. The dragon, screeching as it felt another person weigh it down, roared as it scrambled over the surface of the pillar, whirling around suddenly and blasting another gust of wind out of its jaws.

Vio, standing beside Green, had run next to him as he moved to also try and grab the chain behind him- and yet, gasping and crying out, suddenly felt his entire body flung to the side as the wind hit him, slamming him against the ground. Like Red's pillar before it, the scrambling, giant dragon atop it was slowly forcing the pillar to crack and crumble, slowly tilting and beginning to fall… And Vio, his eyes wide and chest heaving, could do nothing to stop it as he tried his best to scramble to his feet. The wind from the dragon's wings beat over him, and as another powerful gust of wind blew him, his feet were finally lifted off the ground- though not of his own will- and he cried out, eyes wide in terror as he was suddenly flung backwards, over the side of the pillar and down, down into the sky-

And, gasping, suddenly felt his fall stopped as a sudden tightness grasped around his wrist. His chest still heaving, Vio's wide eyes looked up- and saw Green's face, contorted in effort and determination, looking down at him as his hand was tightly wrapped around Vio's wrist, the other desperately trying to keep his hold on the dragon's dangling chain. Finally, crying out aloud, Green swung his arm upwards, and, cooperating with his friend, Vio reached out with his free hand, grabbing the chain above Green and panting as his friend let go, clinging onto the chain safely.

Still slightly panting from the brief fear and the experience, Vio looked below him at Green, who hung on the chain below.

Green, for his part, flashed a bright grin, hiding his exhaustion. "You would've done the same for me!" he yelled with a laugh, his eyes glinting. "Now get up there and bring this overgrown lizard _down_!" he added, nodding as he firmly reaffixed his grip on the dragon's chain, still holding on as Aghorgra continued to thrash and fly around, with the four children now weighing it severely down.

Though deeply moved, and in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on, Vio knew now was not the time to talk any further, and instead gave a quick, appreciative nod to his friend, not wasting a second more as he turned his gaze upwards, climbing the chain as Blue had done and then jumping onto the dragon's neck from there.

Though he and Blue, from the same point on the dragon's two necks, exchanged a quick glance and a nod, both of the Links turned towards their target as they began their climb. And while Aghorgra continued flying around the sky arena, roaring and screeching, flashing and flailing every which way, the four heroes which remained holding onto it remained firm and steady, knowing their plan well and not failing to let any of their teammates down. And upon Blue and Vio finally reaching the tops of the dragons head, the battle had escalated in noise and volume and motion- but, unfazed, the two heroes once more drew their Four Swords from behind their backs, slicing forwards in a single, powerful strike and sinking the tips of their blades deep into the already-shattered, yet still vulnerable glowing light atop the dragons' heads.

The result was loud, instantaneous, and sudden- Aghorgra and its both heads suddenly shrieked and roared in agony as the blades were plunged into the tops of their heads, the tips of the glistening blades sticking out the bottom end of their jaws. The massive, ferocious dragon screamed and flailed around for a little more in the air as the blades took affect- but, almost as soon as they had started, suddenly stopped- and the movements of its wings, tails, and feet all ceased, the giant being freezing in mid-air.

And slowly… it began to drop.

"Everyone! To the center pillar! Now!" Vio shouted as loud as he could, gasping as the wind suddenly buffeted them from below, each of them stuck on the dragon as it began to plummet downwards. The Links hanging on the chains scrambled to climb upwards, with the other two up top helping them, and, as a team, the four Links ran down the back of the plunging dragon, Vio in front as he set his wide, determined eyes on the quickly-approaching pillar beneath them-

"_JUMP_!"

With a sudden cry, Vio yelled as he leapt off the back of the dragon, the others quick behind him as they jumped off their fallen enemy, falling through the air…

And yet, each of the heroes gasped as they struck the hard rock floor of the pillar beneath them, rolling or jumping in their landing to cut down their impact of the fall. And as they each stood shakily back up, quickly regrouping in the center of the pillar, their eyes looking outwards for any sign of their fallen foe…

With an exploding blast of an ear-piercing shriek, the massive two-headed dragon Aghorgra once more burst upwards from beneath the pillar, flying high and swirling around as it flew, its wings beating harshly and harshly… though slower and slower… And as the giant monster finally reached the pinnacle of its flight, its legs and tails stretched out and its wings frozen in place…

In an instant, the form of the dragon was shattered into trillions of pieces, each piece suddenly throbbing in black darkness and bursting once more into oblivion, with only small shards of sparkling light drifting down from where the being had once been like a soft, glistening rain.

The silence which followed after the explosion was small- for almost seconds after it was gone, the four Links exploded in noise of their own, their voices loud and jubilant as they jumped up and down, cheering and laughing and shouting aloud in their victory.

However, as the three Links quieted down, each of them turned to look to one of them- who returned their stares with a quiet, simple smile of his own.

"… What?" Vio finally said, raising an eyebrow curiously and crossing his arms.

The others were silent for a moment- but once more burst out laughing as they each near-tackled their friend to the ground, hugging him from all angles and shouting about how awesome his plan had been. Though he tried to hide it at first, the calmer Link eventually gave up, and allowed himself to widely grin as the others congratulated him, laughing along himself.

And yet…

When the voices of the Links quieted down once more, a soft glowing light from behind them stole their attention, and, almost expectantly, with smiles on their faces, the Four Links turned around to face the center of the pillar, from which a soft, purple light was glowing…

And, in the center of the light, which rose out from underneath the rubble of the tower upon which they stood, hovered a small, yet delicate purple stone, with a set curve below and a small spiral design sitting neatly in the curve.

However, before any of the Links could say a word-

Vio blinked, suddenly stumbling forward and looking sharply behind him. The others had, almost all at once, pushed him forwards, grinning as they did so. Though Vio frowned and huffed, he gave no resistance, and instead a small smile came across his face as he nodded. No words needed to be said- his eyes were all the thanks they needed.

Turning around once more to face the Air Element, Vio needed only take a single step forward to close the small gap between him and the stone, and calmly reached out, his hand embracing the purple light and his small fingers closing delicately around the smooth surface of the stone.

As the two times before, the three Links from behind watched with a smile as the glowing light engulfed their friend as soon as he touched the stone, blinding them from his sight for just a moment before it just as quickly began to fade away.

And when the light had finally gone, his fingers lightly opened, revealing the small stone, no longer glowing, settled in the palm of his hand.

Though the quiet boy had stated his name once before, he almost felt compelled to do it once again- and Vio smiled as he once more wrapped his fingers across the element, turning around to face his friends. There was a small silence between the two, but it was soon broken by the one they all least expected it to.

Laughing, the boy shook his head. "… I told you all I was right," Vio teased with a grin, his eyes glinting mischievously as he remembered, not just his guess made when they first met, but everything before then- and before they were knocked out, being as one Link and being as Four twice before. He remembered who he was, who they were- he was Vio, the calm and intelligent Link of the four heroes, the one with the solutions and the knowledge to get them out of whatever problem they faced. In their worst of times, he would turn everything around and help them get through, and was the one to rely on whenever an answer was needed. He was proud of this title- but even more proud than he was of being one of four Links, he was proud of having three of four Links as his friends.

And in an instant, the three Links laughed aloud at their friend's joke, once more jumping up to him and crowding him in a massive group hug- one he was more than happy to return.

However, when they finally were quiet once more, still hugging… A single voice spoke up, making all of the Links blink in sudden confusion and surprise.

"Um…" Red piped up quietly, looking at the others through their hug with a weak grin… "Not that I'm not excited and all, but…"

"… _How_ are we gonna get back down, again…?"

…

His answer was a blunt and loud one, coming from the boldest and most foul-mouthed one of them all.

"… Oh, _FU-"_

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><p><strong>BLATANT CHAPTER CUT FOR CENSORSHIP. :D Sorry, Blue. ^_^<strong>

**ANYWAYS, how'd you guys like it? :D Again, quite possibly my favorite boss fight of this fic so far. Yay for giant dragon fights! :)**

**Will the Links be able to find a way off the clouds? What's going to happen next?**

**Find out in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Thirty-One: _Turmoil_!**


	31. Turmoil

**Well, I'm sure you guys know the drill by now! :)**

**So sit back and enjoy another Shadow chapter!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-One:<strong> Turmoil

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><p>The soft sounds of leaves crunching beneath every step echoed faintly across the surrounding woods, merging with the quiet sounds of the wind blowing through the topmost branches of the highest trees. A quiet, calm ambience flowed through the forest as he walked, yet he hardly took notice of it as he continued, barely even aware of the steps he took. Instead, his mind and thoughts were elsewhere- and his lightly narrowed, crestfallen maroon eyes were gazed downwards to the grassy floor of the woods.<p>

Shadow's steps shuffled quietly through the forest as his mind wandered and his thoughts barraged him at every second. Upon teleporting away from the temple in the sky back to the ground, his head had been buzzing with commotion, over-flooded with thoughts and emotions he was not familiar with. Not wanting to return to the castle after his failure, and hardly considering the fact of finding the stupid owl, the boy had simply walked off, hoping the quiet walk would help his mind quiet down so he would be able to sort out all of the new thoughts and make sense of them.

The first… his eyes closed as he continued to walk. The first and most important… it had happened again. He swore and cursed at himself over and over in his mind, but it had happened anyways- those stupid children had done it again.

… They'd caused another memory to be unleashed from the depths of his clouded, darkened mind.

And even that was an understatement, he thought bitterly as his eyes opened. Not merely one memory- but three, all at once, and in a jumbled mess that had nearly caused him to go mad with confusion and pain. He could hardly have made sense of them at the time, and had only kept himself sane by forcing himself to focus on his mission, of freeing the dragons and setting them upon the heroes. Only when he had left the temple itself, now walking deep into the forest, was he able to look back upon those three, precious glimpses of his past and figure out just what they meant.

The first… The boy in green clothes had yelled at him. _"… after all we went through together?"_ As if they had once not been merely friends, but partners, working side-by-side… and that was when the first flashed, jumbled heaps of pictures, emotions, and sounds had slammed at his mind.

_He was shouting something… he couldn't hear his own words, they were distorted, somehow… but he could feel the pain shooting through every limb of his body, beads of sweat racing down his forehead as he set his firm, fierce gaze on the enemy in front of him. A massive knight-like monster, swirling in dark energy… And, once more Shadow yelled something aloud, raising his hands and sending a massive blast of his own dark magic slamming into the side of the knight._

_ But he was not alone in his attack… _

_ For, at his very command, four children in different-colored tunics leapt in from the sides, swinging high above them four bright, silver swords, and striking them down upon their common enemy. With Shadow's dark magic holding the knight down, and the four children attacking it in unison, the creature of darkness had no chance… and roared, bellowing in fury and agony as it went down. It said something… again, the words made no sense… and, with one final scream, dissipated in a cloud of shadow._

_ And lastly, though tired from his exertion, Shadow turned to the side, looking at those who had helped him- and those he had helped. They were slowly getting back to their feet, turning to look at them, he wanted to see their faces, hear their voices, know who they were…_

_ … However, in the very moment they turned to face him, the wispy clouds which were holding together were blown apart, falling into pieces and hiding the rest of his memory from his thoughts._

Groaning slightly, Shadow put a hand to his forehead, his eyes wincing as a sharp bolt of pang raced across his head. The memories were bringing him massive headaches… though he couldn't stop thinking about them. Words were still evading his mind, and try as he might, he could see no further than where the memory had ended. Blinking wearily, he looked down, realizing he had stopped walking. Sighing, the young boy of shadow turned and walked towards a nearby tree, putting his back to the sturdy trunk and leaning back against it, lowering himself down to sit against the cool grass, his back pushing against the rough surface of the bark.

What did this memory mean? He was not stupid… he grit his teeth and looked down bitterly at the ground. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together… his last memory had shown him four figures, but who they were was clouded from him. And in this memory, while their faces and voices were still hidden from him, he could clearly remember the colors of their clothes… green, red… purple and blue. His eyes narrowed and squeezed shut tightly in pain.

… It didn't take much to connect the dots.

Were they truly right, then? Was he not supposed to be an evil servant of Veran and Onox, a creature of the darkness, but their ally and friend? His own memories were hidden from him, but slowly, one by one they were being released- and showing more of what he did not want to see. If the conclusions he were drawing from this particular memory were correct… then he had once indeed worked with the Four Heroes themselves to bring down a foe- and not just any foe, but one of darkness, like himself.

… But then again, this did not mean that much. He blinked, his eyes opening, and his chin resting on his crossed arms, which were set over his bent knees. No… it was merely a few seconds of a memory, of him helping them defeat a single monster. It could mean anything- for all he knew, he could have been in the process of tricking them, trying to gain their trust before turning on them.

This seemed plausible… However… his eyes closed once more as the next memory resurfaced.

_"… I dunno how you're alive, but before, I mean… you __**died**__ for us, Shadow!"_

The desperate sound of the red Link's voice rang in his thoughts, and with it, the memory that had been awakened by those words. Not only had they reminded him of the first memory he'd received, the one where he felt as if he were dying, but a new one had been flashed across his vision, blinding him with its revelation and adding only more confusion and pain to his already-torn conscious.

_He was speaking again… but this time, his words were not his own… with every fiber of his being he was fighting it, fighting the presence which had invaded his body and was forcing his lips to move and speak these words… he floated upwards above them, his arms raised as dark, twisting shadow magic grew from his fists… and every action, every motion he was doing, he fought against it, struggled and resisted and fought with every fiber of his being. Two witches atop brooms were flying around him, cackling in evil glee and triumph._

_ The four on the floor below him… those of the different-colored tunic and the gleaming, silver swords… they were looking at him… and though he could still not distinguish their faces, he could easily read their expressions- and they watched in horror, despair, and heartbreak as the dark magic continued to twist around his fists. And while a few of them tried to shout out towards him, their unknown words were useless._

_ Suddenly-_

_ "SHADOW! __**YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"**_

_ The sudden and unexpected voice, the words which had kept evading him, slammed into him, taking his breath away. They rung true to the boy of darkness, somewhere deep in his chest, in the soul which fought against the movements of the body… The voice continued to shout at him, words he could not distinguish… And yet, little by little, he was winning the invisible fight with the presence in his body._

_ He spoke… words of his own, fighting against the possession… he fought to quell the dark magic in his fists, meant for the four… once more, the children beneath him shouted… encouraging him… everything was a jumbled mess of pain, confusion, resistance, and, worst of all- fear. _

_ Once more he spoke- though this time, knowing he was fighting a losing battle, knew just what he had to say. The despair of losing control was overwhelming him, but the sinking fear behind that was even stronger, the fear of what he'd do if… His thought trailed off, his fear giving strength to his determination as he set his words to shout one more time towards those on the floor, hoping to give them one last word before he was finally lost…_

_ … And as he shouted, the words and the voices, the figures and the emotions, began to slowly fade away… until, at the pinnacle of his yell, once more everything vanished into the darkness._

His dark maroon eyes fluttered weakly open once more as he was drawn back into his present thoughts, the soft breeze of the forest blowing gently across the woods, scattering a few fallen leaves over the forest floor.

It was the first time he'd remembered the words of a voice… and he almost wondered how he could have ever forgotten them. They were so clear, strong and forceful… full of belief and of determination. As for the speaker's voice, he could not yet identify it… But, putting his head in the palms of his hands, knew undeniably who it had to be. After all… the only others in that room had been, aside from the two cackling witches behind him, the four children on the floor beneath him…

His earlier thought, that perhaps he'd only been aiding the heroes to trick them, was suddenly and irreversibly shot down. Here he had been, possessed by some foul magic, and fighting it with every muscle in his body and strength of his will- all for the underlying fear that… He frowned. He had never connected the train of thought in the memory, but thinking about it now, when he had looked down at the four, the fear grew… He was not afraid of them. Rather… he was afraid _for_ them. And it was this fear that wouldn't allow him to lose control of his body…

… What had happened to him? Once more he buried his face in his hands.

And lastly… He could hardly bear to think of it… Yet he knew, there was still one last memory he had to come to terms with. The child in green had asked him- and, strangely, he now felt compelled to ask it himself, and wonder just what the answer should be.

"_… What about our friendship?... What about __**Zelda**__?-!"_

Zelda…

The name was so strange… and yet, so familiar. He knew it- he swore he did, and when he said it over and over in his mind, and even spoke it aloud to the forest around him, he knew it had once held a very important meaning to him…

And as he closed his eyes once more, the third and final memory floated back towards him, like a gentle and soothing breeze…

_Her words were calm and peaceful… and they struck him deeply in his heart. Her kind eyes stared down at him, unafraid… And, silently, he cast his gaze up towards her from where he knelt in front of her. Was she… was she right? Could he truly be… _

_ And yet, before he could bring himself to open his mouth, his eyes, to speak to the light…_

_ All at once, from the clouds that twirled around them, came a cloud much different than the white, peaceful ones of norm… it was dark and thick, a sort of blackness to it which he knew all too well to be unnatural. And before he could even say a word in surprise to seeing the approach of the dark monstrosity… it had swooped in, billowing darkly over the duo- and quickly, wordlessly, surrounded the young girl in front of him._

_ Her eyes widened in surprise, and she cried out against the clouds, stumbling backwards in an effort to get away… but it was useless, and as the poisoned clouds surrounded her, those bright, blue eyes slowly began to close, and her entire body slumped limp against the hold of the malicious, swirling smog. _

_ Suddenly, he found himself gasping as he stumbled to his feet, eyes wide and looking up at the dark clouds. He was speaking- he was faintly aware of that- and his voice sounded angry and indignant- though behind that mask was a layer of sudden concern and fear. The boy of shadows shouted and yelled against the dark cloud which was taking the girl away… _

_ From those dark clouds, however, a hole was soon parted between them- and a harsh ray of bright sunlight burst forth, shining painfully upon his form. Crying out in pain and an even deeper fear, Shadow fell to his knees, shielding his eyes from the light and wincing in agony, pleading for the pain to stop. _

_ And stop it did, as the clouds once more covered it back up, the sounds coming from the billowing smoke as if a silent, malicious laughter. Slowly, it was beginning to move away…_

_ His eyes wide, Shadow looked up from his knees as the cloud continued to take her away… Her eyes were still closed, a look of helplessness and distress written across her silent face. Zelda… they were taking her away… away from him… They were going to… He couldn't… He was…_

_ His thoughts, emotions, fears, worries and doubts all clouded him at once, like the smog of the dark clouds, and, all of them shouting and yelling at him at once, he could no longer make out any sense or coherency from the flood of emotions… They were all clamoring, shouting, fighting for control of his mind… _

_ And before he knew it, he was once again in darkness._

Floating back into the real world, Shadow's eyes slowly opened as he began to realize her name was still across his moving lips…

… And, unable to take it any longer, the child buried his face in his knees, wrapping his arms over his head, soft sobs slowly shaking his body.

… What was he _doing_?

What was he meant to do?

Was this all just one big lie… or was he lying to himself? Who was he to truly believe, where was his heart to be set? Every moment, a dull voice in the back of his mind was screaming, yelling at him the sense that could only be drawn from those memories… And yet, in retaliation, another voice rose up within him, reminding him of all he'd done thus far, and the dark powers which sprung from his being. He had two undeniable facts… He had once been on the hero's side, perhaps had even once given his life to save them… and yet, he was a creature of darkness, born of the shadows and fated for evil.

Which of these two lives was he destined for? The path of the hero… or that of the villain? For either of those two roles, the choice was normally so clear… Those with the purest of hearts, born of the light and of a virtuous desire for righteousness, fought for the triumph of good over evil. And those born of the twisted, dark shadows of darkness, their hearts set in the deep-rooted, burning hatred of evil, gave everything they could to see the darkness triumph over the light. And yet, here he was, a being of darkness… with memories of the light, and a heart which could not decide which one was which.

Zelda…

Heroes…

Shadows…

None of it made sense any longer.

And for the first time, as he lifted his head from his hunched shoulders, his tear-streaked cheeks lifting as his eyes were set on the forest around him… he was beginning to wonder, whose side he was truly meant to be on.

Destiny… Choice… which one was he supposed to go by? A creature of shadows, fated for the dark… yet bearing a conflicted heart, quietly yearning for the light…

Angrily, the boy lifted his hand, bringing the sleeve over his wrist across his cheeks, sniffing and indignantly wiping away the tears. Either way… he would not allow himself to sink any lower into despair. He would make his choice…

And yet, as he lowered his hand, looking off to the side, he blinked in light surprise as he noticed something in the corner of his vision which he hadn't before.

It was far-off in the distance, and mostly hidden by the trees and brush around him, but he could faintly see a grey-tinged color sticking out amongst the browns and greens of the lush forest. Once more sniffing away his tears, pushing them away and pushing himself up to a stand, Shadow turned and slowly began to walk to the sight, his curiosity piqued.

It wasn't a long walk- as he passed the trees blocking the way and his sight, the brush grew less and less, until he found himself in a small clearing, looking upon what he had seen earlier with a confusing mixture of spite and wonder. For he had stumbled into none other than the dreaded, yet wonderful resting place of the holy Four Sword itself.

He passed the grey, stone walls of the ruins, instead walking quietly up the small stairs to the pedestal. Finally, as he came to a stop, he sighed quietly, looking around him.

He wondered…

If he were to be some sort of hero… Should a place like this not spark a memory? Frowning, he continued to look all around him, at the broken-down walls, the ivy-covered stones, the tile path with weeds spiraling through the cracks… Nothing. None of this was new information to him- he'd visited it already once before, and recalled smashing one of the pillars in his pent-up anger. No, he was no such hero… Why should a sacred place like this be of any use to him?

However, struck by a sudden thought, he frowned differently, his brow furrowing in concentration. Each time he had regained a memory… it had been sparked by the voices of the heroes themselves. The first, when the smallest one of them had insisted they'd been friends… And then the most recent time, when he- and the one in green- had approached him once again, pleading with him that he was not supposed to be on the enemy's side. It hadn't been anything evil he'd done, or even anything good he'd thought… but it had been what they'd said to him.

Sighing and shaking his head, Shadow sat down amongst the steps of the Sanctuary, looking with crestfallen eyes to the overgrown grasses around him. A small flower grew at the edges of the broken stone… Blinking in sudden curiosity, the boy lifted his hand, a soft swirl of shadow magic forming around his hands… And slowly, almost gently, he hovered his hand over the flower, sending the dark, yet calm shadow floating down to the plant…

And almost instantly, the shadows worked their way around the flower, swirling around and through it…

However, biting his lip sharply and quickly withdrawing his hand, Shadow's eyes flew open as he saw the flower slowly start to wilt beneath the dark powers coming from his fingers. Upon ceasing his powers instantly, the tiny flower slowly returned to its previous state…

Bitterly, Shadow closed his eyes.

_Idiot… what were you thinking, anyways? __**Dark**__ powers, remember? What the hell did you think was going to happen?_

Sighing, he allowed his eyes to open once more, looking away from the flower and back to the stone beside it.

And, in slight surprise, his eyebrows jumped lightly up.

Growing in between the cracks of the stone, twisted and gnarled, was a single weed. It had pushed its way through the stone, choking the grass around it and snaking around the stone tile. With a sudden idea coming into his head, Shadow frowned- and once more extended his hand outwards. However, what came from his fingers was not the soft cloud of shadow from before- but instead a sharp, fierce and sudden bolt of twisted shadow magic shot from the palm of his hand, blasting away at the annoying weed.

The result was instantaneous, and the weed, blasted instantly by the dark magic, writhed away, disappearing slowly in a mess of shadows. With the weed gone, he could clearly see now to the grass below… Though it was short and dried, he realized quietly, it would now get the air and sun it needed… With the weed gone, the grass beneath would begin to grow.

The flower and the weed… What did they mean, to him? He frowned, looking away and leaning back, sighing. Just like in his memories, when he had helped the heroes… He'd used his dark magic to fight, using his powers as a creature of darkness to bring down his foe. And yet, as he brought it down, it was a triumph of good, freeing the heroes of the monstrous enemy and vanquishing a villain of darkness. With his powers, he could never be like the heroes themselves, with pure blades of light… But still…

Shadow closed his eyes.

… He had a decision to make.

Veran and Onox were the ones who had created and sent the many monsters to the Air Temple, lacking any other means to get to it, and they were the ones who had beset the two dragons upon the heroes. And even though Shadow was the only reason their enemies had stood a fight against the heroes, he had still been blamed for its failure. And, ultimately, he was given one last chance: for now there was only one element left. If the heroes were to get it, they would be able to fight them on even grounds. And so Shadow's final task was this: kill the Four Sword heroes now, before they had a chance to get that last element.

However…

His eyes narrowed bitterly as he looked up at the woods around him, his lips curling in a sneer. He hardly believed that they trusted him to do this: he was sure, whether he went or not, the heroes would be once more be beset upon by more monsters and demons sent to infiltrate and infest the next temple. Whether he went or not made little difference. Still…

The sneer on his face slowly and softly turned into a smirk, and he even let a small chuckle escape his lips.

_Fine,_ he thought with a quiet, smug grin. … _My choice will be their test. Can you make it, heroes? Can you survive this final temple, make it out with the element and face evil on your own? … Show me._

Slowly, the boy of shadows stood up, lightly and idly dusting off his tunic as he looked around him once more. He would go… but not for the reasons everyone else wanted him to. He would go for his own reasons, this time… And from then on, he would make his own decisions.

Giving one last smile, and briefly glancing down at the flower and the empty crack in the stones, Shadow then sent his gaze upwards, into the clouds.

And as the shadows of his dark magic once more began to swirl around him, moving at their master's commands, his eyes slowly closed, as if in a sort of agitated peace, one last word floating through his thoughts…

_… Zelda…_

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><p><strong>With more glimpses of his past coming back to haunt him, Shadow is finally beginning to question himself and wonder whose side he should truly be on.<strong>

**What will his final decision be? Will he be able to decide for himself, his own path of good or evil?**

**Either way, hope you guys are ready for the first chapter of the final elemental temple tomorrow, Chapter Thirty-Two: _Precedent_!**


	32. Precedent

**Welp, you know what they say, no rest for the weary! ;P **

**It's time for the Links to continue on the final stretch of their element-collecting journey!**

**What dangers will they face in their adventures through the Water Temple?**

**Read ahead to find out! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Two:<strong> Precedent

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><p>"Um… hey… are you <em>sure<em> this is a good idea…?"

Green smiled, looking to the side of him and humorously enjoying the sound of the normally bold and eager Link's worried and slightly quavering voice.

Red brightened up, still clinging to Blue with his arms wrapped tightly around his friend's hand. "Of course! It's a great idea! Right, Vio?" he asked, his eyes glinting as he looked back to the side of him.

Ready and prepared, Vio nodded as he lightly grasped Green's wrist with his hand, a soft smile on his face. "I don't see why not," he said simply, giving a nod and looking above them. "After all, I hardly see any other choice."

Laughing quietly, Green shook his head. "Not the best pep-talk, Vio," he teased lightly, though grinning himself.

"I'm serious, guys!" Blue shouted, looking over the edge of the tower as he tried to pry Red off of him. It was… a long way down… he gulped and grit his teeth, closing his eyes tightly. "Am I out of my _mind_…?" he grumbled nervously beneath his breath.

"… Hoot! You've nothing to fear, young hero," the grandiose, lighthearted voice spoke from above him, and, gritting his teeth, Blue looked uneasily up above him at the large owl which was hovering above them, its wings beating steadily down and its large talons extended towards them.

"So… you've done this before, then?" Blue asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at the owl.

"Well… no…" Kaepora replied sheepishly. "But! I don't suppose there's any trick to it, really, just hold on tight," he quickly added, a certain glint in his eyes.

Green and Vio gave calm nods to show they were ready, and Red grinning and nodding eagerly along, piped up as he shouted, "Let's go, Kaepora! Don't worry, Blue, this'll be fun!" he added with a laugh.

"… Fun… right…" Blue mumbled as he once more looked uneasily over the edge of the tower, the ground invisible beneath the miles and miles of clouds…

* * *

><p>"AAHHHH-WHY-THE-HELL-DID-I-LET-YOU-GUYS-TALK-ME-IN-TO-THIIIIIISSSS?-!-?"<p>

Blue's voice was loud and panicked, matching his equally wide and frantic eyes as they stared down in terror at the rushing clouds and air all around them. His knuckles were nearly white as he clung to the massive talons of the owl above them, and his tunic and hair whipped around fiercely in the wind- and yet, scrambling his grip every few seconds, he couldn't help but shout out and yell in panic as the massive owl flew the four children downwards through the sky and clouds.

Below him, clinging tight to his dangling legs, Red was laughing as he looked down through the clouds they passed, cheering and overall enjoying himself in the ride the owl was giving them through the skies. Above them, the massive owl's wings beat heavily and strongly, hardly unfazed by the four children it carried- one on each claw, and one holding onto the other.

On the other side, Red noticed with more laughter, Vio's eyes were shut tight as he clung to Green's legs, his lips moving as he apparently was quietly cursing himself and denying the possibility of all of that was happening. And, while Green was holding on tight and steady to Kaepora's other talon, he too, appeared to be a healthy mix between excited and terrified- though he wore a grin and was obviously enjoying the wind as it blew past them as they flew, his eyes told a different story, showing his worry and constant panicking thoughts.

"Goodness! You children are _heavy_!" the owl hooted from above them as it flew, diving down through each of the clouds and quietly chuckling at their various antics beneath him.

"_WHAT-DID-YOU-CALL-ME-YOU-STUPID-OWL-OH-MY-GOD-WE'RE-ALL-GONNA-FALL-_"

Once more Red and Kaepora laughed as the four children and the great owl continued to fly downwards, the Sky Temple left far behind and above them as they dived down through the clouds, the surface finally coming into sight beneath them.

And as Blue continued to yell, Red laughing, Vio quietly muttering under his breath and Green doing his best to grin despite the fear of the controlled fall, the ground grew closer and closer, the owl's wings beats slowing down as it began to descent upon the ground.

Finally, the owl grew close enough to the ground to release the four children, opening his talons and letting the four land safely on the ground-

And yet, while Green gratefully released his grip on the bird's claws, Vio also letting go of Green and the two landing calmly together, with Red also letting go and landing safely beside them-

"H-Hey! You can let go of me now, you know!" Kaepora hooted indignantly as he flapped his wings, lifting the talon which Blue still clung to, petrified. Eventually, the owl had to shake his leg once or twice as he flew- and, still shouting, Blue's grip eventually slipped and he found himself falling to the ground, grunting and his shout instantly stopping as he landed harshly on the ground, sliding a bit before he came to a stop, groaning.

Dusting himself off, Vio gave a calm smirk as he and the others began to walk over to Blue. "Hm. Blue's afraid of flying," he said with a calm, quiet laugh, looking at the others. "Who knew?"

"W-Well, I don't half-blame him," Green replied with a weak grin of his own, while Red giggled and laughed, running up to Blue past the others to help him up.

Groaning, Blue shook his head as he pushed his hands under him, moving to push himself up… and yet, blinking, suddenly looked at the surface of the ground beneath his fingers, sliding and moving at the pressure. Frowning, he sat back against the ground, lifting his hands up to his eyes and watching as the grainy ground itself flowed out of the crevices between his fingers.

"… _Sand_?" he asked curiously, raising an eyebrow in confusion. And as Red arrived beside him, Blue scoffed, brushing him away and standing up on his own, casting his narrowed, confused yet concentrated gaze outwards…

And upon what he saw, his eyes widened in surprise.

The four Links, standing together on the slightly damp sands of the beach, looked out in quiet shock at the storming, thrashing ocean before them. The seas, normally calm and a light-toned blue, were anything but the peaceful waves they remembered- instead, the darkened, foamy waves tossed and turned, churning viciously in a violent, raging storm across the vast expanse of waters. Even the water which lapped up at the shores itself was choppy and swift, and the further out they looked, the darker the skies grew, with nearly blackened clouds swirling around above the seas.

"What… what's happening here?" Green finally found his voice, though his jaw dropped wide open in surprise along with the others'.

With a soft flapping of wings, the great owl landed beside the four children, its talons sinking lightly into the sands and its great wings folded neatly to its sides.

"… The Water Temple lies in the center of that storm," Kaepora hooted calmly, the Links turning and looking at him in surprise at his words. "Veran and Onox have summoned this storm… they are trying to sink the temple before you four even have the chance to get the element inside."

Vio frowned. "There _must_ be a way in," he said, shaking his head. "Can you not simply teleport us there?"

The owl sighed, hooting in quiet dejection as it looked back out towards the sea. "I'm afraid not, heroes," he spoke, "The dark storm clouds around the temple prevent me from venturing close… The only path to the temple," he continued, casting his gaze to the side- which the four heroes followed with their eyes- "… is slowly being sunk by the waves, as well."

And, looking in the direction the owl had directed them, each of their eyes widened slowly as the horror of the realization sunk in, and they watched as their only way to the temple was slowly yet surely being buried by the crashing, thrashing waves of the ocean.

It was a natural bridge of rock and cliffs, resembling a small mountain range, which snaked from the shore all the way into the sea, leading into the eye of the storm itself. While the Links could obviously see from the tapered point of the top of the path how the rock bridge had once stood tall and proud over the waves… now, it was all but underwater, with only the tip of the winding rock's way still peeking out from beneath the choppy, darkened waves. And even then, the tossing waters were constantly spilling over its surface, rising higher and higher as it threatened to completely submerge their only path to the temple…

The Links were silent for the moment as they stared at the rock path- and yet, though three of their faces were lined with shock and disbelief, the last was hardened and narrowed in rising fury and determination.

"… We've got to go."

Blinking in surprise, the three Links turned to the one who had spoken- Blue, with his fists tightened and his eyes narrowed, hardened and looking over the bridge, once more spoke in a calm, yet serious voice.

"We've got to go. _Now,_" he repeated, emphasizing his words firmly, looking over at them and gritting his teeth. "Before the bridge sinks! We _have_ to try!"

"Blue, think about this!" Green shouted, shaking his head in disbelief. "We can't cross that! We'll slip and fall, or it'll be buried under the waves before we get half-way!"

"I agree, it's much too dangerous and far too risky," Vio agreed, shaking his head. "We… we must find another way."

"Right, Kaepora?" Red asked weakly, looking over to the owl with a small, nervous grin. "There's another way… right? There's gotta-"

"You idiots, there IS no other way!" Blue roared, interrupting his friends bluntly and loudly. "Just trust me! _COME ON_!"

Without waiting a second more, and shouting aloud, Blue suddenly leapt forward, bursting past the others as he raced down the sandy shore, headed straight like a bullet towards the rocky bridge ahead.

"BLUE!"

"Blue, damnit, get _back_ here!"

"H-hey, wait for us!"

Though the three Links tried to shout after him, their eyes wide in sudden shock- each of them, looking at each other once with gritted teeth, were forced to turn once more towards Blue, running as fast as they could after their friend.

Gasping and panting as he ran, his fists pumped beside him and every muscle in his body straining for the last drop of his strength, Blue leapt atop the surface of the rock, his eyes flying open as he nearly slipped on the new, slippery surface of the drenched rocks. However, he was _not_ going to let himself fall- and, gritting his teeth even tighter in resolve and conviction, quickly adjusted to the different terrain, his feet slamming down over the twisting rocks as he ran as fast as he could over the path.

Quickly running behind him and gasping for breath, the three Links hardly had any time to focus on the fear or concern for what they were doing, instead forced by the bold and headstrong Blue to leap straight into the fray, leaping and running over the slippery, dangerous surface of the path and running straight into the malicious, swirling storm around them. They had not ran very far when the rain came- pouring down, it chilled and froze the Links through their tunics and to their bones, drenching them and plastering their hair against their foreheads. The water of the rain pouring down from all around them- with the wind blowing it nearly sideways, alternating swiftly as if trying to push the Links off the bridge- and the churning waves which constantly crashed over the rocks only hindered their efforts, providing thousands of ways for the Links to slip and fall to their demise.

And yet, as they ran, fueled only by the sudden and raging determination to cross the terrifying and dangerous bridge, the Links did not falter, nor did they fall- once or twice, their feet would slip, and they would cry out for help. And yet, before they had the time to slip even an inch, a hand would jerk out from above or behind them, from beside them or even from where they couldn't see, and save them just in the nick of time. The four heroes ran in a group across the bridge, relying on each other's strengths and each providing their own as they dove deeper and deeper into the storm itself.

Finally, through the howling and blistering winds and rains from around them, a dull form became outlined as a shape in front of them…

"The Water Temple!" one of them gasped- in the blind confusion of the storm, neither of them could hardly distinguish one from the other.

"The door! It's closing!" another shouted out above the roar of the storm, seeing the massive, solid door of stone at the front of the temple slowly starting to move downwards, closing the distance between the door and the floor of the temple…

"Everyone, hurry! Get in, before it closes!"

"Don't look back! Just keep going!"

The noise and commotion of the storm and the four shouting voices all at once stopped- and, at the slamming, massive sound of rock beating against rock, the door to the temple was closed, and everything fell into silence and darkness.

Finally, in the dull, echoing silence of the strange, new room, the four children could faintly hear their own breaths as they panted, their lungs crying desperately for the air they'd sacrificed on the frantic, wild run to the temple. However, quickly breaking the darkness of the room came a soft, warm light, flickering to life from the end of a glowing, red orb.

Illuminated by the glow of Red's Fire Rod, the Four Links, each hunched over and still panting from their own exhausted, were finally able to get a look at each other, each of them silently relieved that they were all there. And as Red swung his rod slowly around them, each of their eyes turned upwards and around them, looking at where they had stumbled in.

Behind them lay the solid, sealed door they had only narrowly entered before its close. It was watertight and looked impenetrable- though they knew by now, from the dull sound of rushing water pounding against the walls outside them, the temple had already sunk, not a drop was leaked through any crack in the walls or roof of the temple. The room they had stumbled in was relatively empty, and with a single passageway leading deeper into the temple.

Finally, as the four Links regained their breaths, one was first to break the silence.

"Hah… hah…"

Though he was at first merely still panting from his own exhaustion, soon, Green's face broke into a grin, and he began to laugh, shaking his head incredulously. Eventually, his laughter was infectious, and the four Links were once more leaning against each other, laughing in the crazy successfulness of the wild run down the path, and each in relief that they had made it.

Grinning widely from ear to ear, Red was first to speak as he jumped up around and in circles ecstatically, shouting as he held his Fire Rod proudly in front of him, "Blue, you did it! You did it! You got us in, you really did it!"

Even wearing a grin of himself, Vio nodded, crossing his arms and looking at Blue with an impressed smirk. "It seems I was wrong," he pointed out with a quiet laugh. "You put on quite a show for us, Blue, urging us onto the bridge. And we made it, too! Well done."

Lastly, grinning like the others, Green playfully slugged Blue in the shoulder, saying with a nod and a laugh, "Good ol' Blue. Always the one to get us in and out of crazy things like that! I knew you'd come through for us!"

Once more talking excitedly and laughing, the three Links rounded around their friend, patting him on the back and talking about how awesome the run had been. And, grinning and beaming like crazy under all the praise and attention, Blue merely puffed his chest out and bowed once or twice, the others laughing and playing along.

However, what the others had said… something about him unnerved him, and his grin slightly wavered as he thought about what they'd said. _Good ol' Blue… always comes through… _It was high praise, and he wasn't about to deny any of it, either, but… why was it off-settling to him? It ate away at something in the back of his head… Finally, clearing his throat, Blue frowned as he shook his head, straightening up and getting back to business as he said, "W-Well, yeah, I know I'm awesome, enough of that. We've gotta get through this temple and get out before we become fish food, remember?"

Grinning, Green raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Oh, so now we're Mr. Serious, are we?" he teased lightly. However, laughing easily along with the others, he smiled and nodded, understanding perfectly. "Yeah, you're right," he said, nodding and turning towards the others, "We should get going."

"We don't know what sort of monsters might be in here, after all," Vio added, quietly pointing out this fact as the others nodded in agreement. He smiled, turning towards Red and speaking once more, nodding towards his lit Fire Rod. "Red, would you care to lead the way?"

"You bet!" Red piped up excitedly, nodding and eagerly turning towards the passageway as the Links began to follow him in a tight group through the dark, slightly damp passage.

As the four Links continued through the passage, still in light humor and spirits from before, each of them spoke to each other and joked around, laughing and enjoying each other's company. The darkness of the hall hardly bothered them- why should it? They'd been through plenty by this time- and instead, in their tight, close-knit group, they merely passed the time as they walked through the long, empty passageway by laughing and talking to each other.

And yet… Strangely, Blue had felt almost compelled to hang slightly behind the others, that same thought from before eating away at the back of his mind and forcing him to think on it. Why had he been slightly off-put by the words the others had spoken… And it wasn't the parts where they had complimented him, but rather, said something more specific. When they had talked about him as who he was, 'good old Blue', 'always pulls through', 'knew we could rely on you'… And, with a blunt and cold frown, suddenly realized why it was bothering him.

Sighing quietly, Blue looked up at the others who walked in front of him.

They had their memories. They were a team of four, but at this point, all but one of them had been restored to their "previous selves", the memories of the past and those memories which made them who they were. They had each reawakened as one of the Four Sword heroes, remembered who they were and their past adventures with each other, once more reassured in their purpose and in themselves. And yet, he had still not regained his own memories… And, while he tried to ignore the thought and push it away- he'd get them back soon enough, he told himself bluntly- another thought came soon after, which made even his bull-headed, ignorant thoughts stop and be silent.

… Did his memories make him who he was? The way they had all talked about him- they all remembered who he had been before he lost his memories. He supposed Red had remembered all of them as they were when he first regained his memories, and Green, too, remembered their past, pre-amnesia selves when his memories were restored. However, at those times, the other three and two had been in the dark, and thus their team had still felt a freshly new one. And now, with almost all of the Links restored to their former selves, and just one left… They were almost their old team again, with one last teammate who still didn't know who he was- or rather, who he had been.

Suddenly, as he looked forward at the three who walked ahead, talking and laughing and joking, he began to feel… isolated. As if he was still a stranger amongst them. At this thought, he grit his teeth in anger. _Alright, now you're just sounding pathetic,_ he scolded himself fiercely, lowering his chin and looking ahead of him in reluctance. _Stop wallowing in self-pity and get over yourself. They remember you, even if you don't remember them, so it's not like they don't know who you are._ And yet, this thought merely led to another: _Yeah, so they do remember me… but I don't remember me, still. The person they remember me as… is that the same person I am right now?_

The words and jokes of the others had all been blocked out as he tossed these thoughts around in his mind, but as they suddenly quieted in front of him and another voice spoke up, he blinked, suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Hey… Blue, you alright?" Green asked, looking behind him in quiet surprise. The others had stopped beside him and also looked back over at Blue. "You're kinda quiet…"

Trying to keep the mood light, Vio smiled as he joked easily, "I'll bet it's nothing. You know Blue- he's probably impatient we haven't yet had the chance to fight anything thus far."

The harmless joke was well-received by the others Links, and they all laughed with good-natured grins, grinning over to Blue.

"… Huh? Oh, yeah… Yeah." Blue forced a grin on his face. "Fighting things, yeah… Can't wait."

Strangely, the Links looked at each other again before glancing back at Blue. However, shrugging, they easily accepted their friend's words and turned around, walking once more through the tunnel.

_You know Blue…_ the words taunted him, and Blue once more looked down at the ground, biting his lip and wordlessly following the others. He wasn't angry at them, not at all- but the words hurt him in a way which confused and frustrated him. _No, I don't know Blue,_ he thought bitterly, _You do. But not me. How am I supposed to know who this "Blue" you remember is? Am I still the same person I was before I lost my memories?_

Once more, the thoughts barraged his mind, and, burying them in his fury, ignored them bluntly as he carried on, only pushing them further and further back in his mind. Though he'd been the one who, for the duration of their travels so far, had been the most eager and adamant to regain their memories, he had never thought of it this way before… He couldn't truly know himself without his memories, and as the others remembered him as who he was… Was he still that same person? How could he even know?

However, thankfully jerking him out of his thoughts came the words of his friends, once more different from the normal murmur of their conversation. He blinked and looked ahead of them as Red and the others spoke, the end of the tunnel coming into sight, and the tip of the Fire Rod slowly beginning to illuminate the new room in which they had entered…

The Links each found themselves gasping quietly in surprise and wonder, their jaws falling open, as they stared at the wide, massive room in front of them. Soft whirring and electrical noises echoed across the room, and lining the entire perimeter of each of the walls were massive, incomprehensible machine-like instruments, with switches and levers decorating them on all sides, tubes and electrical cords sticking out and going in, twisting all around the ceiling of the room. However, through all of the gadgets and mechanisms, three stood out as the largest and identical to each other- a massive machine stood in the center, with a large, wide pipe leading up to the ceiling. Connected to the large pipe, and leading to either side of the room, were two identical machines- yet the electrical tubes on top led instead to the top of the ceiling, branching out to two passageways on either side of the room.

"Fascinating," Vio breathed, the first to speak- though he was in awe of all the work, he took a step forward, looking all around him in amazement. "The temple… these are all machines of some sort. No doubt to keep the temple afloat, or rather, working in the water…"

"And yet, they're not working," Green pointed out with a frown as he glanced to one of the machines on the side of the room- its lights were out, and though a dull whirring sound came from inside, nothing of any particular interest seemed to be occurring. He looked back towards the others. "You think if we get these things working again…?"

Vio smiled, nodding. "Almost positive," he concluded, looking back at the others. "We'd be able to raise the temple out of the water."

"Well, shouldn't we look for the element before we do that?" Blue asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

"We might have to do both, guys…" Blinking, the Links turned to the one who had spoken. Red had taken a few steps forward, swinging his Light Rod out in front of him and smiling as the room was more widely illuminated. "See?" he said with a grin, turning and looking at them over his shoulder while pointing past the machine in the middle.

Connected via tubes to all three machines, and standing in the center of the wall on the other side of the room, was a massive, iron-barred gate. They could clearly see the tunnel on the other side, leading down into darkness, deeper into the temple.

Vio nodded, understanding. "So, get the machines working again, get the element, and get out of here," he mused, putting a finger to his chin and smiling. "Sounds simple enough. Good work, Red."

Beaming in appreciation, Red grinned and nodded enthusiastically, turning back towards the four. And as Vio and Blue each turned to opposite sides of the room, moving to examine the machines around them… Green's gaze had, too, drifted to the side, yet upon hearing a strange, crackling sound, he paused, blinking and looking in front of him. And yet, all that stood in front of him was Red, looking back at him with a grin. Yet, the strange, electrical sound came once again, from behind him… And, in the darkness of the flame's cast shadows behind him, Green's eyes widened as he spotted a brief, yellow flash sparking behind his friend…

"RED! _Get back_!" Green suddenly gasped, his eyes flying wide open as he lunged forward, grabbing his friend's shoulder and shoving him to the side-

And, all at once, the quiet room exploded in an ear-piercing, shattering blast of screeches and sparking, crackling shoots of electricity, blasting bolts in all directions and shattering the peace of the inner temple. Instantly, the four Links whirled around, eyes wide and shields and swords at the ready to figure out just what the heck was going on- but as quick as they were, even they were not fast enough to stop what was happening before their eyes, and they were instead helpless to watch, with wide eyes, at what was forming in front of them.

Dozens and dozens of them poured in from the shadows of the room, amassing together slowly and building into a massive form, which hovered maliciously above the air, crackling and sparking and sending shoots of electrical energies jolting through the room in all directions. Floating through the air of the room as if it were the sea itself, the hundreds upon hundreds of jellyfish were swarming together, their buzzing sounds like a n army of angry bees, as they all slammed together into one massive being, gathering at the center of the room- and around the one Link stuck standing at its center.

"GREEN!" Vio's jaw dropped and his eyes widened as he ran back towards the others, the three Links grouping together and watching in fear as the hoard of jellyfish swarmed over their friend, blocking him from their sight. They could faintly hear his cries from behind them-

"_MONSTERS_! LET HIM _GO_!"

Roaring in fury and suddenly bursting forward, Blue charged, unafraid, into the massive gathering of jellyfish, sword and shield raised high and swung ahead of him-

And yet, gasping as a sudden, piercing pain rocketed through his body, Blue was abruptly flung backwards, electrical jolts of energy still radiating from his form after the mere contact from the creatures had sent a massive electrical pulse surging through his veins, shocking him and throwing him backwards from the force.

Though Vio and Red were there to catch him as he fell, the three Links could now only look up in horror at the sight which formed before their eyes.

The suddenly-appearing hoard of electrical, stinging jellyfish was slowly beginning to part… And in the center of it, hovering in the air, was their friend. His body was limp, and his eyes were open- but his blue eyes were not what looked back at them. Instead, his eyes were white and empty- and clinging to his entire body were dozens of the jellyfish, their tentacles nearly fused to his body as the electrical currents raced all around his form. Slowly, Green was lowered back down to the floor, where he found his footing and stood…

Yet, looking back at the heroes with unseeing eyes, their leader slowly reached behind his back…

And, as the massive crowd of jellyfish suddenly swarmed forwards, pulsing together in a wave of electricity, the young leader of the Four Swords, ensnared from all sides by the electrical, numbing tentacles of the jellyfish which clung to his body, lunged forward, shouting aloud as he sliced his blade in front of him, advancing upon the four heroes as he was commanded and racing towards them, his whited-out eyes narrowed in hatred as his Four Sword was once more swept in front of him, aiming for nothing less than the throats of his enemies.

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><p><strong>Man, talk about NO rest at all. :( I'm so cruel, aren't I?<strong>

**-gasp- Green's been turned unwillingly against the heroes by the powers of the jellyfish mob... What will the Links do?**

** Will they be forced to fight their own leader, or will they be able to find another way to defeat the monster without their friend harming them- or worse- them harming their friend?**

**These answers and more in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Thirty-Three: _Anchor_!**


	33. Anchor

**/obligatory apology that this is so late.**

**ANYWAYS ENJOY. :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Three:<strong> Anchor

* * *

><p>Crying out in surprise and horror, the Links suddenly found themselves jumping back in defense of their attacker- their very own leader, Green, as he swung his sword out towards them. Instinctively, their shields had been raised- yet rather than the focused, determined gazes which normally came with a defense stance in battle, each of them wore a look of despair and shock. The swarm of electrical jellyfish had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and taken one of their own- and with the multiple creatures attached to their friend, their tentacles practically fused onto his body, had turned one of the heroes against them.<p>

"G-Green! Snap out of it!" Red cried fearfully as he jumped backwards, holding his shield up and taking a few steps back. As Green's sword swung through empty air, he landed nimbly and calmly, standing back up and slowly starting to advance once more upon them.

"It's no use!" Vio shouted out, though his eyes were also wide in worry for their friend. "It's those jellyfish, they're controlling him!" Suddenly, crying out loud, he once more had to throw up his shield as Green leapt towards him, his footwork nimble and his swing calculated and strong as he gave a sudden jump strike against Vio. The sword struck hard against his shield, yet Vio found himself having to roll off to the side, and even draw his sword and swing it in a wide arc above him, catching Green's second swing with his own sword and deflecting it off to the side.

Blue, still gasping and his skin still shaking from the horrible electric blast from before, struggled against the ground as he stumbled to his feet, his frantic eyes looking over their situation. Green was continuously slicing away at Vio, advancing quickly and mercilessly, swinging his sword with every second and jumping to the side, with all the skill and tactics of a highly-trained warrior. And yet, though his sword-work and tactics were clearly the work of the adept and talented Green Link, they knew it was not their friend attacking them- his face was hardened and unemotional, his whited-out eyes wide in rage and concentration.

"Th-then, we gotta get 'em off of him, somehow!" Blue shouted as he got to his feet, looking around at the jellyfish. Though the mass was seemingly content for now to command Green to fight the others, it was slowly advancing over them, hovering menacingly, as if waiting for just the right second to engulf the heroes and strike. He looked back worriedly over at the sparring Vio and Green-

Panting from exhaustion, Vio swung his sword high in front of him, only just barely catching Green's own sword as it swung fiercely over his head. Gasping and grunting, Vio clenched his hands tight over the hilt of his blade- and, crying out loud, swung his blade down against Green's, pushing his friend backwards. And, without hesitating a second, Vio thrust his shield outwards, striking his friend square in the chest and sending him flying backwards onto the ground.

"Vio! Don't hurt him!" Red cried out worriedly as he ran beside Vio, clutching his shield and Fire Rod in either hand.

"I don't have much of a choice, Red!" Vio shouted back, his voice shaking, sweat pouring down his face and his eyes obviously emotionally distraught from having to fight his friend. And even worse, he knew- he was outmatched. His petrified eyes drifted away from Green over to Red as he pleaded, "He won't stop attacking me, I don't know what we need to-"

"VIO! Behind you!" Blue suddenly shouted, his eyes flying wide open.

As if hardly even registering the pain of the setback, Green had struggled to his feet and once again leapt forwards, his blade swinging sharply upwards and aimed towards Vio's turned back. Vio, caught unaware, could only turn and look in shock, not given a second's time to react and stumbling backwards-

And yet, leaping forward, Red suddenly lashed out with his Ice Rod, a burst of chilly, frozen air bursting from its orb and engulfing their friend. Green cried out as he was forced backwards, stumbling slightly- yet stopping as his feet froze to the ground- as the ice partially crept over him, freezing him temporarily in his spot.

"I'm sorry, Green!" Red wailed, guilt and tears flooding his wide, innocent eyes as he turned around, helping Vio up.

His teeth grit in determination and rising fury, Blue had watched the fight from afar, conflicted and confused on what he needed to do. However, as it began to escalate, his rage building, he had shouted out, raising his sword and charging into the fray. His target was not aimed at Green- he'd have to trust Vio and Red to keep them from being hurt and hurting him for the time being- but rather, unafraid, he leapt right into the mass of electrical, stinging jellyfish, swinging his sword and shouting out in anger.

However, as soon as the metal blade scored across a jellyfish, cleaving it in half, Blue was forced backwards, gasping as another, brief electrical shock sliced through his body. His hand instantly clutched his chest as his heart flipped inside his chest from the shock- they couldn't attack the jellyfish like this, they'd only end up hurting themselves! And already, as he'd charged into the swarm, they were surrounding him… Had he been too bull-headed and ignorant by charging into the mass, leaving the others behind? His wide eyes turned over his shoulder as he looked after the others-

Slowly, Green had begun to thaw out, and, though Vio and Red were backing up against the wall with their shields up, already their leader was raising his sword, slowly walking towards them with his blade raised and readied for another attack. And yet, it was not this particular sight which sent a chill down his spine and widened his eyes- but something he had not seen from before, when he had been outside the mass of jellyfish.

Green's back was turned… he was slowly advancing upon the others… And though nearly his entire body was covered in the same, dull-blue-colored jellyfish, there was one which clung to his body that was different than the others. A murky, opaque-pink jellyfish, smaller than the others, was firmly fused around the back of his neck, and it pulsed and vibrated like the others did not. He could even faintly see trails of electricity running down its tentacles, wrapping around Green's neck…

Blue's eyes widened in realization as it struck him.

The jellyfish, they were all around him, closing in, surrounding him and-

Shouting out in determination and rage, Blue closed off all those thoughts as his eyes narrowed and set his focus on one thing and one thing alone- that particular, different jellyfish wrapped around Green's neck. Raising his sword and running through the mass of jellyfish all around him, ignoring and pushing aside the fierce jolts of pain through every contact of their tentacles which sliced across his body, Blue burst through the crowd, leaping forward and swinging down his sword from behind Green, right as his own sword was being raised-

And, crying out in pain as the electricity skyrocketed through his body, Blue brought his sword down nimbly and expertly on the pink jellyfish which had wrapped itself around the back of Green's neck, slicing it in half and forcefully jerking its tentacles off his friend, throwing it off to the side where it landed motionlessly on the ground.

The massive outburst of electricity threw Blue backwards after his successful strike, and he grunted as he slammed hard against the ground, groaning in slight pain- yet forcing his eyes open, a grim smirk coming across his face, as he watched the triumphs of his endeavor unfold.

Torrents of electrical sparks were flying around Green's body as he stumbled backwards, the multiple jellyfish bound to his body throbbing and pulsating rapidly and out-of-control. Slowly, weakly, Green's hands jerked upwards as he raised his hands to his head, pressing his palms against his temples and falling to his knees, screaming in pain as the jellyfish around him slowly began to become enveloped in the brightness of their own electricity… And, in a brilliant and powerful flash of light, Green was engulfed in the brightness, the others forcing themselves to shield their eyes from the blast.

And as the lightness exploded, the mob of jellyfish all around them, screeching loudly as if in pain, suddenly and instantly dispersed, quickly flying upwards into the darkness of the ceiling until there were none of them left.

When the light finally faded away, the three Links looked up in wide eyes at what they saw- Green was frozen in the position he'd been in, kneeling with his palms pushed against the sides of his temples and his eyes closed in pain. And yet, his closed eyes relaxed, his hands fell limply to his side… and, with a soft groan, suddenly collapsed, slumping weakly and falling forward onto the ground.

"GREEN!" Shouting their friends name in worry and concern, the three Links suddenly leapt forward, gathering around him and waking him up.

Green groaned quietly one more time as the others helped sit him up, and as his restored, blue eyes weakly fluttered open, he put a hand numbly to his head, blinking in confusion as the world started to come back into focus.

"What… what happened…? What've I been doing…?" Groaning dizzily, Green closed his eyes once more, the others thrilled that their friend was waking up, and rubbed the sides of his head, wincing in pain, before looking back up at them with wide, confused eyes once more.

Flooded with relief, the Links hugged their friend and talked excitedly, bringing a weak- if unsure- smile to their leader's face. However, as they all finally calmed down, it fell upon them to explain what had happened- Green's blank face and pressing questions clearly showed he had not a clue what had just happened, what he'd been doing or the entire fight at all. The last thing he could remember, he told them confusedly, was shoving Red aside. And as Blue looked away awkwardly, Red frowning and also looking guiltily to the side, Vio sighed and took it upon himself to morosely and calmly explain what had happened.

The others assured Green that they didn't blame him for what had happened- and Red even pointed out that if he hadn't pushed him aside, it would've been Red who'd been possessed- but still, their leader hung his head in guilt and apologized over and over, shaking his head in disbelief that he had tried to hurt his own friends. Finally, however, his apologies stopped- and he blinked in confusion, looking at them and asking the question none of them had yet thought of.

"… How was I brought back, then?" Green asked, looking at them all. "And the jellyfish swarm… how did you guys beat it?"

Red and Vio looked at each other, lost. However, Blue spoke up, giving a grim smile.

"When those damned jellyfish possessed you," he spoke, causing the others to look at him, "I ran into the swarm. They're a bunch of stinging little bas-"

Vio glowered at Blue.

"… Pests," Blue corrected with a reluctant huff, continuing, "but when I looked back, I noticed a different-looking one, kinda pink, attached to your neck. It looked like it was the one controlling you, so I sliced it off. I guess it must've been part of the swarm's main brain or whatever," he said, rolling his eyes and looking off to the side like he were bored, "And the other jellyfish flew away after it was killed. Then you were freed and… yeah."

The others were silent for a moment as they stared at Blue, incredulous.

"What?" Blue snapped, growling as if insulted. "…I'm not as dumb as you guys take me for, y'know!"

Instantly, the three erupted in laughter, shaking their heads and patting Blue on the back. He raised an eyebrow curiously, but eventually shrugged it off, smirking and once again enjoying being the center of the praise and attention.

"Of course not," Green finally said with a laugh, shaking his head and struggling to his feet- stumbling, though, and being helped by the others to a stand. He grinned over at Blue. "Thanks, then," he said with a laugh, grateful that, at the very least, it was all over with now. "I'm glad _one_ of you guys knew what you were doing," he teased with a grin.

The others nodded and laughed in agreement- but before another word could be said amongst them, each of them blinked as they were interrupted by a dull whirring sound from behind them. The sound grew and grew, stronger and louder, but eventually reached a peak, stopping at a certain volume and continuing on in a mechanical-like sound. The Links turned and looked to what was making the sound- and all of them stared, slack-jawed and in surprise, at the machine which was at the center of the room. All its light were on, and the sounds were coming from inside. The massive tube which extended from its top was now lit up like a light- and they watched as the green-tinted light raced down the tube, leading to the gate itself.

In the darkness, they had at first not even noticed it, but now, it was clear where each of the three machines' pipes led to- a small indention above the grate, where there were three lights in a row. The green light from the middle machine lit up the round light in the center- yet the Links could each see the two lights on either side of it were still dull and unlit.

"So," Vio said eventually, smiling as the others looked over at him, "These machines power the gate to open. Defeating the jellyfish in this room must have enabled the machine to become powered up again."

"Wait… you said _this_ room," Red pointed out, looking at him curiously. "Do you mean…?"

Green nodded, understanding. "There are two more machines…" he said, looking on either side of them. "And two more rooms. We've got to go power up the machines in the other two rooms, huh?"

"And what's worse," Blue added, grumbling, "those jellyfish things got away. They could probably be hiding in those rooms, too, keeping the machines from working. We might even have to fight 'em again."

Vio nodded. "Precisely," he said, though sighing and giving a shake of his head. "I'm afraid that's the only logical conclusion."

Another small silence drifted between the four Links as they thought about what this meant… and yet, the seriousness and uneasy tension was soon broken by a bright, cheerful voice.

"Well… at least we know what to do and what _not_ to do this time, right, guys?" Red asked, brightening up with a grin. "Just find that pink jellyfish Blue talked about and destroy it before it has the chance to control one of us!"

Though there was another small silence between the heroes, it was much smaller than the others- and, reassured by their small friend, the three Links laughed and nodded, rounding around him and nodding in agreement. He was right- they had to keep their spirits up and press onwards. The element was surely past the gate- and they had two more rooms to clear to get it open.

Turning together as a team, the Four Links pushed onwards as they walked towards the room on their left, passing the machine by the side of the wall and entering the dark tunnel which led away from the central chamber. With Red's Fire Rod lighting the way, and his reassurance keeping them going, the four continued on, undaunted, through the dark and damp passageway until they reached the next room.

It was much like the first one- in size and the wide amount of open space- only there were no doors, tunnels, nor passageways leading away from the room. It was a dead-end- but far from useless, as they could each clearly see the massive machine, like the others, set in the far side of the room's wall, with a dull, unlit pipe connecting to its top and leading out through the tunnel they'd just come through.

The Links held up their swords and shields, cautiously entering the room and looking in all directions for the jellyfish. Green reminded them how they had hidden in the shadows and snuck up on him- but also how they'd made static-like sounds before they appeared, so to be on the watch and listen for those. And yet, though they were all on their tight guard as they entered their room, ready and prepared for the monster to once again swarm and overwhelm them…

… They did not come.

Minutes passed, the tension in the room only growing by each passing second as the Links stood calm and still in the center of the room, each facing an opposite direction and looking for their opponent. And yet, as the minutes ticked away, each of them were slowly looking at each other in confusion.

"Maybe… maybe we _don't_ have to fight them again?" Red suggested, blinking in surprise and shrugging. He gave a small grin. "Maybe they all went away!"

"If so," Vio stated, looking out towards the machine, "It's possible we only have to fix it ourselves. I'm going to go try."

Green grit his teeth. However, reluctantly, he ceded. "Be careful," he said, nodding once. He kept an eye on his friend as Vio walked calmly over to the massive machine on the far end of the wall, looking furiously over the controls and various lights and other instruments attached to the massive mechanical hunk of metal. He put his hand to his chin, studying the various parts of the machine, every once in a while flipping a switch or pulling a lever, trying to override the system or find an alternate source of power.

However, as he worked, the Links' eyes widened in surprise- slowly but surely, the room around them was growing darker. As if all the light were being sucked out of the room… they drew closer together, and Green looked worriedly over at Vio.

"Vio! Get back here, I think they're coming!" Green shouted, still looking around them- the room was now nearly pitch-black, and even Red's Fire Rod could hardly illuminate more than a few feet in front of them.

Sighing, Vio shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't get it to work," he replied back, frustrated, yet turning around back to them. He blinked- he hadn't noticed the room get so dark- and, hearing Green's command, nodded and quickly picked up his sword and shield once more, lightly starting to jog back to the others-

And yet, surprising all of the Links in a heartbeat, a sudden, loud yell instantly burst forth from Vio's mouth as he flung to the ground, as if slammed from behind by something powerful. His eyes, though once wide in surprise and gasping aloud in pain when he was struck, instantly winced tightly shut as he struck the ground, his teeth grinding together and his tense arms seemingly struggling to push himself back to his feet.

"_Vio_!" Instantly gasping out loud their friend's name, their eyes wide in shock and worry, the three heroes, ignoring their previous post, ran forwards, surrounding their friend and kneeling down around him. Though they shook him or called out his name- and looked up frantically around them, searching for signs of his attacker but seeing none- their friend would not respond, his eyes tightly shut and his entire body trembling as if fighting a harsh, blistering pain.

And yet, as if this sudden attack on their friend was not enough- the Links all cried out collectively as they, too, were thrown back by a sudden and bright explosion in front of them, their eyes shut tight against the brightness and gasping for breath as they were slammed against the side of the wall. The terrifying, static sounds of crackling and popping electricity had returned with fervor, snapping and tearing through the air from all around them, rising in ferocity and gaining momentum by every second.

Pushing themselves off the wall and to a stand, the three Links groaned as they rubbed their aching muscles, weakly blinking past the light and looking up as they tried to regain their senses from the explosion-

And, with a sudden, swift and sharp sound, the Links all jumped backwards, eyes wide, as an object suddenly shot towards them, hissing sharply as it flew through the air, and then cracking as it embedded its end deep in the wall in between them.

It was an arrow.

"No…" Green's eyes widened as he stared at the shaft, half-dug into the wall with the velocity at which it had been shot. Quickly, his head whirled around, his eyesight joining with the other three's as they looked into the cloud of brightness, where the harrowing, blue jellyfish were once again beginning to swarm…

And as the light slowly dimmed, standing in the center of the mass of jellyfish was a single, calm figure clothed in purple. His eyes were calmly narrowed- though there was no soul to them, and instead a blank, empty whiteness stared back at them. And yet, more terrifying than his sightless eyes were the mass of electrical currents jolting around his body, swarming around him from the mass of jellyfish which had latched themselves onto their friend's body, their tentacles stuck against his skin and nearly fusing onto the child himself with their tight grip.

Without a second's hesitation longer, Vio once more docked an arrow to his bow, his whited-out eyes narrowed in quiet fury and concentration as he took a step forward, stopping only to aim his arrow- and fire.

"Look out!" Red shouted loudly, his jaw still agape from shock, as he dove to the ground, rolling to the side to avoid the arrow. It barely missed him, by merely a few inches- he could feel the slicing wind only centimeters away from the side of his head as the arrow passed him once more, a dull clanking sound following as it dug deep into the wall behind him.

"D-Damnit! Not _again_, _damnit_!" Blue swore loudly, his eyes narrowed in fury and concern as he also dodged to the side- only this time, was kept running and rolling as a barrage of arrows followed his every moment, firing faster than he even knew Vio could attack and leaving a trail of arrows buried in the wall behind him.

"Blue! Blue, how did you do it last time?" Green shouted from the other side of the room as he, too, was chased down by a constant slew of arrows, zinging past him and following him as he ran. Upon coming to a corner, he gasped, stopped dead in his tracks, and whirled around to face his attacker- and only by whipping forward his shield and ducking behind it was he able to stop the arrows from burying their tips into him. Instead, the arrowheads clanked against the sturdy metal of his shield, leaving marks where the tip had did its best to slice through the heavy shield, only to fall short and topple useless to the ground.

"Guyyysss! Help!" Red cried as the arrows then moved away from the defending Green and began to chase the smaller Link. Vio, unlike Green, was staying deep within the protective field of the jellyfish, attacking from afar with his precise and effective weapon. His form was nearly entirely engulfed by the blue, swarming jellyfish- this time, they seemed to be much more protective of their possessed Link, not letting him walk out of their encircling swarm and instead attacking the heroes from afar.

"It's the one on the back of his neck, remember?-!" Blue shouted out loudly, also holding out his shield and encircling the swarm of jellyfish as he desperately looked for an opening. And yet, his heart sunk- there was none. He had charged in last time blindly, and only by sheer luck and the enemy's unawareness had he managed to get through unscarred. And even when he'd ran out, they hadn't left him unhurt. He could still numbly feel his muscles twitching and aching from the slicing, shocking pain of their stinging tentacles. How the hell was he supposed to get in at Vio if they were protecting him?-!

Leaping out of his defensive stance, Green ran over to Red, jumping in front of him and raising his shield firmly against the approaching flood of arrows. As Red hid behind him, Green grit his teeth, holding his shield tightly and harshly in front of him against the slew of arrows clashing against the front of his shield. Red, upon seeing what Green was doing, took out his shield as well, holding it up against the attack.

"We can stop his arrows, but we still need to get at the jellyfish on his neck!" Green shouted from behind the shield, only looking above it enough to make sure he held his shield against the incoming attacks.

"Working on it!" Blue snapped back furiously as he ran around the swarm some more, trying to find a place to leap in- and yet, shouting in fury, suddenly jumped forward, slamming out with his shield as a wayward jellyfish suddenly broke out from its mass, its electrical tentacles reaching out for Blue. He was able to smash it aside without getting stung, but… he slowly backed away, his eyes widening as more and more jellyfish, learning from what the first had done, were beginning to break away from the main body, some headed for Blue and the others…

"R-Red! Green! Look out, they're starting to attack!" Blue shouted as best he could as he jumped forward, once more swinging his shield out at the incoming jellyfish- remembering very well what had happened when he'd tried to use his sword the last time.

Hearing Blue's call, Green briefly lowered his shield, his eyes going up to the advancing mass of jellyfish-

"AH-!"

Gasping and crying aloud, Green suddenly stumbled backwards, the breath stolen from his chest as a massive force shoved against his shield, forcing him backwards. His wide eyes looked over his shield as Vio leapt forward, slicing down his sword upon his shield. He'd stopped with the long-distance arrows upon realizing they couldn't penetrate their shields- and, swinging his sword artfully and craftily, had made for a full, head-on advance.

"Green! Look out!" Red cried, leaping backwards- and yet, before he could go to his friend's air, his eyes flew upwards, directed to the advancing wall of jellyfish. Static and electricity burst from their tentacles as they flew forward, aimed towards the two children in front. Gritting his teeth and quickly recovering, Red grit his teeth and lowered his shield, flinging his Fire Rod in front of him and shouting as a burst of flame exploded outwards from the tip of the orb. The fires danced over the approaching mob, pushing the monsters back and sending a few burning to the ground- but, as he took a step backwards, the jellyfish continued to advance.

Blue's eyes were frantically dodging from side to side. Vio, under possession of the monsters, had gone on the offensive against Green; Red was being overwhelmed by the jellyfish which had also begun to directly attack… And yet, even as Vio attacked, he was still surrounded by the jellyfish from behind, covering his back as he continued swinging his sword in a deadly match against their leader. If they were to stop this, he knew, they had to stop it now- before they were overwhelmed.

Blue grit his teeth, sweat beading down his temples and his muscles crying out in exhaustion. However, he couldn't afford that- and pushed away the aching of his arms and legs, despite knowing what he had to do. His grip on the hilt of his sword tightened… he put away his shield… And, taking a deep breath, set his narrowed sights on the mass of jellyfish which separated him from the others… and from Vio.

Knowing his time was running out, the jellyfish beginning to corner Red and dodge his flames, Vio slowly but surely forcing Green into the other corner with his expert swordplay and the jellyfish at his back… Blue's eyes flashed, and his mouth parted into a fierce, determined snarl.

And, shouting aloud, Blue lunged forward as he swung his sword outwards, leaping into the fray and diving head-first into the mass of jellyfish, running through the deadly and dangerous swarm. The jellyfish reacted instantly and, like an angry hive of bees, violently turned upon the intruder, flinging themselves at the child and blasting their volts of electricity and shocks through his body. Crying aloud in pain as the currents of electricity flooded his body, piercing through the air and through the very fibers of his being, Blue shut his eyes and his mind tight against the pain, continuing his run through the jellyfish as they attacked him from all angles.

He could hear Red's cries as the jellyfish were beginning to overwhelm him… Green's panting as he was forced into the corner… And the metallic sounds of Vio's blade slicing time and time against Green's shield as he continued his ruthless, senseless attack…

And lastly, his own cries overpowered those of the others as he broke through the mob, electricity flying all around him as he leapt forward, swinging his sword and fiercely plunging it down.

* * *

><p><strong>Not again... D: Though the Links were able to defeat the jellyfish monster and fix the first of the three machines to open the gate, it seems their troubles are still far from over!<strong>

**Will Blue be able to make it through the stinging mob of jellyfish and bring Vio back to his senses? And what about the third machine left to go?**

**All these questions and more answered in tomorrow's dramatic chapter, Chapter 34: _Armor_!**


	34. Armor

**Hey all, sorry the chapter was delayed a day. :( However, to make it up to you, I'll be uploading two chapters today: this one, and 35 a little later in the day. :)**

**Hope you guys enjoy as always! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Four:<strong> Armor

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><p>The room all around the Links erupted in a blast of light and energy, their screams melting together with the loud, crackling pops of electricity which flew through the room, blinding everything in an intense, yellow light. Unlike before, where the jellyfish had merely scattered upon the central controller being destroyed, this time, each of them had suddenly swarmed around in furious, uncontrollable agony and fury, flying in all directions like a disturbed bee's nest. The electricity and sparks flew all around them in an enraged, excruciated panic, and, when the light could finally grow no more, the brightness consumed the entire room in a sudden, scintillating flash of light, blacking out in the next moment and plunging the room into darkness.<p>

As the room was sucked of its light, only a few sounds were left swirling around in the after-explosion haze; the faint, dull sound of the jellyfish buzzing and sparking around, yet slowly dimming as they scattered once more, flying off into unknown directions of the room's darkness and fleeing the area. The Links could hear themselves breathing heavily in pain and exertion from the fight- yet one sound stood out from all of them, as everything finally quieted down. A dull thump echoed across the room as one of their own fell silently to the ground.

In a quick flurry of sounds and shouts, the three Links instantly gathered together once more, a small, red light illuminating from the tip of Red's Fire Rod which lit the way to their fallen comrade. The three Links fell to their knees as they reached him- and, their eyes wide with concern, each of them began calling out their friend's name.

"_Blue! _Blue, can you hear us?-! Wake up! _Blue_!"

The three Links' wide eyes grew even wider as they gathered around Blue's fallen form- and, in sudden concern and surprise, two of them looked up at the third.

Feeling their eyes on him, Vio bit his lip, his eyes flushed with guilt and devastating remorse as he once more shook Blue's shoulder. The controlling jellyfish had been sliced off his neck- and, fleeing the sinking ship, the other jellyfish had let go of him almost immediately, fleeing along with the others into the darkness of the room's shadows. He'd regained lucidity almost instantly- and though he could not remember the past few minutes either, the last thought in his head being running back from the machine to the others, he knew- he had done something truly terrible.

However, groaning and turning to the side, the Link lying on the ground was quickly coming to, lifting a weak hand and placing it over his forehead. The others breathed a collective sigh of relief, though neither of them slowed down in their words to him or attempts to get him back to his feet.

Gritting his teeth in incredible pain, Blue squinted his eyes shut as he reached below him, shakily pushing his arms beneath him and lifting the rest of his dead-weight body back to his feet. Though he staggered a bit as he got to his feet, once more swearing under his breath and putting a hand against his temple, he eventually shook his head, blinking and looking at the others scornfully.

"… Alright, alright, I hear you, I'm fine," Blue grumbled, wincing once more in pain but waving the others off. His body briefly shuddered as it recovered from the multiple electrical shocks which had been sparked through him during the attack- but, looking aside, he grumbled as he tried to ignore them and brush them off as nothing.

"You are _not_ fine," Green said firmly, shaking his head and frowning angrily. "Why didn't you tell us destroying those jellyfish causes you to be electrocuted? You should've had one of us do it, so you didn't have to be hurt twice! You're going to overdo it, Blue!"

Giving a grim smirk, Blue rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah, you're welcome," he answered sarcastically with a dry, hollow laugh.

"I'm serious, Blue," Green frowned, crossing his arms. His concern for the stronger, headstrong Link had been pushed to its limit, and he was not about to back down. "You're the strongest of us, yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to take all the pain _for_ us."

Whining quietly, Red lightly pulled on Blue's sleeve. "Green's right… you really had me worried," he whimpered under his breath, his wide, sad eyes looking up at Blue. "Next time… let one of us do that, okay?" He gave a brave smile, mustering his courage for his friend. "I… I'm not afraid of being hurt!"

However, Blue merely scoffed, looking off to the side with narrowed eyes. So, he put himself on the line for them, and they get angry at him. _What the hell, guys?_ _I mean, I know Green's our leader and all, and doesn't want us all to get hurt,_ he thought bitterly,_ but someone had to take the pain for the blow, right?_ And as far as he was concerned, it might as well be him. Why not, anyways? He didn't want to see Red get hurt, and they needed Vio in the team to help strategize and plan out a fight, and Green to command them. He was just the muscle boy… right? Thoughts of who he was and who he was supposed to be once more drifted into his mind- and yet, stubborn and unwilling to deal with them, he shoved them quickly aside.

However, in the silence of his thoughts, he noticed something peculiar- the others were silent, as well. A tense, awkward stillness had settled over the four- and, blinking, Blue turned to the one avoiding all of their gazes with a soft frown.

"Vio… That wasn't your fault, back there," Blue said, giving a serious frown and putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Sighing, Vio shook his head. "It was _entirely_ my fault," he spat, his eyes narrowing in frustration at himself as he looked away. "I was foolish to break away from the group and try and fix the machine on my own." He sighed once more, shaking his crestfallen head. "Perhaps if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been possessed. I… I apologize…"

However, as the light of the flame brightened up around them, so did a familiar, cheerful smile.

"It's okay, Vio," Red chirped with a grin, holding his Fire Rod to the side as he gave his friend a half-hug. "We know it wasn't really you! And besides, it all worked out okay in the end, didn't it?"

Smiling once more, the Links nodded in response to Red's cheerful, uplifting reassurance. None of them knew where they'd be, stuck in the despair and guilt and sorrow of all their troubles, if not for the smallest one's kind and happy words.

And yet, not long after Red spoke, a soft whirring sound began to emanate from the far end of the room. As the Links turned to look towards it, the room began to brighten under its own light- and soon enough, Red's Fire Rod was no longer even needed as the generator against the wall started up, whirring powerfully and steadily as it roared back to life. The pipe on its top glowed a deep, navy blue as it lit up, the light trailing across the tube and into the wall beside them- no doubt, they all knew, headed to light up the second light of the main gate.

"Well," Green finally said, trying to give a smile, "two down… one to go."

"And this time, we're gonna stick together!" Red added with a bright, chipper smile as the Links turned as a group and once more walked through the tunnel through which they had come.

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><p>The third and final room in the far end of the temple was identical to the others- dark, wide and empty, and with a generator-like machine sitting on the far end of the wall. This time, as the four entered, they were each well on their guard, shields up and walking in close together as a tight-knit group. Though Red reached out with his Fire Rod, swinging it slowly from side to side in an attempt to illuminate the entire room, it remained cast almost entirely in darkness.<p>

"Stay close, guys," Green muttered through clenched teeth as his eyes suspiciously scanned the room around them- yet he hardly needed to have said it, as the others were already instinctively keeping close together in their group as they moved to the center of the room, watching and waiting for the stinging little demons to come out and attack them once more.

And softly, quietly…

A dreading, familiar crackling and snapping sound began to descend upon them from above…

Instantly, the four sets of eyes shot up towards the darkened, shadow-covered ceiling, each of them hearing the static sounds of the electrical jellyfish beginning to approach them. However, in the shadows, neither of them could begin to detect where they were coming from… or from which direction they were slowly approaching. They lifted their shields and stepped closer together…

And yet, despite all of their carefulness, none of the four could have been ready for what happened next.

In a massive, terrifying bolt of electricity, larger than any of the heroes could have ever imagined in their worst nightmares, a torrent of powerful, fierce bolts of lightning and electricity began to rain down all around them, shattering the peace of the room from all sides and blinding them in its bright, harsh yellow light. And yet, in the midst of the storm of lightning, the room even slightly beginning to heat up from the sheer amount of electrical energy being discharged in all directions… Larger than all of the bolts put together, and stronger than any of the Links could have dared to fear, came a sudden and powerful blast of electricity, slicing down the center of the four Links' group and striking the floor between them in an imposing, mighty blast.

Flung in opposite directions, the four Links shouted out as they were forcibly separated by the bolts of lightning descending down upon them, and as each of them struggled to their feet, the jellyfish once more began to surround them from all angles, pouring out of the shadow-infested corners of the darkened, empty room.

"Guys! Guys, everyone get to the center!"

"Regroup; don't let them get behind you!"

Groaning and struggling to his feet, a hand rubbing a sore spot on the back of his head, Blue groggily blinked open his eyes, numbly hearing the others shouting to try and get them to once more group together, most likely in an effort to keep one of them from getting captured by the jellyfish- which had now, he noticed with a shock, almost entirely flooded the room, surrounding him from all angles and blocking all the others from his view.

"Green, Red! Vio! Where are you guys?-!" Blue roared, his sword and shield already drawn as he began to back up against the wall, the only safe place where the stinging monstrosities could not get at him from behind. However, his only answers were the muffled shouts of his friends as the loud, frantic static and stinging sounds from the jellyfish around him overwhelmed his senses.

The static from the monsters was growing all around him, and, raising his hand to his eyes to shield his vision from the bright light, Blue grit his teeth as he took a step backwards…

And, gasping, suddenly felt all the breath pounded out of his chest, having not even a second to cry out in pain as he was shoved fiercely to the side, his back slamming hard against the stone ground. The pain shot through every nerve in his body and he groaned in a low pain, placing his palms on the ground beside him as he tried to push himself back up…

And yet, as his eyes looked wearily above him at his attacker, his eyes widened… and his heart ran cold.

Standing above him, surrounded by an onslaught of electricity and with his narrowed, cold eyes whited out, Red held his shield firmly out in front of him, grasped tightly in his hand and in his other, tightly wielding a burning Fire Rod.

"R-Red… No…" Blue gasped, his wide eyes hardly seeing anything else than the terrifying sight of their friend standing before him, a large mass of the jellyfish clinging to his form, his unseeing eyes glaring down at his opponent and his weapons readied for battle- his sights set on eliminating the target in front of him.

And yet, Blue had not a second longer to react, as, leaping forward, Red shouted out loudly, unaware of what he was doing as his shield was placed behind his back- and instead, swung his Fire Rod in a fierce, powerful arc in front of him. Almost instantly, a blast of fire burst from the tip of his rod, swirling maliciously and dangerously out in front of him in a burning, raging mass of flame. Without a second to get up or run, Blue could only cry out as he rolled to the side, jerking out his own shield from behind him and holding it up against the massive blast of the terrifying, destructive flame.

"RED! BLUE! Are you guys okay?"

Gasping and struggling to his feet, Blue's eyes went even wider as he registered the sounds of Green and Vio's voices calling out to him. And yet, though he looked through the mass of jellyfish which had descended upon them and surrounded them, he could not see him- the enemy had effectively separated the four from each other.

"G-Guys! They… they took Red!" Blue shouted back, choking out the words as he leapt backwards, stifling a cry and holding up his shield as another ferocious, relentless blast of flame burst from Red's violent and powerful weapon, spiraling over Blue's form, only deflected by the metal of his shield.

Lowering his shield, Blue gasped for breath as he took another step back, looking over in wide-eyed fear at his friend. His eyes, white and unfeeling, stared at him like a hollow, empty void, as he silently continued his approach, his arm jerking forward viciously at each blast of fire which erupted from the tip of his terrible weapon. This… this was not Red, not at all. When Green and Vio had been possessed, they had each been a terrible enemy to face, true… Green was a skilled swordsman, and Vio a clever and tactical archer… but neither of them could compare to the ferocity and danger with which Red was attacking. Blue had never thought of it before, but Red's weapon was a dangerous and mighty one- with little exertion on his part, the terrifying flames leapt up at his command, swallowing everything and anything in its path.

The jellyfish attached to the small Link were bombarding him with their sparks of electricity; Blue's eyes wavered, hardly able to imagine the sort of pain his friend must be in as the creatures took control of his body, using him in the most malicious and destructive way as he incessantly shot blast after terrifying blast at his friends.

As Blue continued desperately trying to dodge the blasts of flame rocketing from Red's Fire Rod, his gut sinking in despair at each blast with narrowly missed, he finally heard back from the other two, shouting at him from across the room. Their voices were clouded and muffled, distorted by the loud, sparking demons flying and clouding the entire room- but, though they were broken and choppy, Blue could still make them out.

"Blue! Free… Free Red! We… we'll take care… of these!"

There was no use in trying to hear any further… their words were entirely drowned out by the attacking mass of jellyfish around them, and he could see hardly an inch past the swarm which had encircled him, trapping him in the corner of the room as Red continued to advance upon him. Thinking back to his friend, Blue's wide eyes jerked to the side at his advancing friend, who had not tired nor faltered as he continued his slow and steady advance, his white eyes still set coldly on the target which was slowly but surely being cornered and surrounded. His Fire Rod lifted once more- and he hardly needed to take a step more forward as the flames once more burst powerfully from his rod, swirling around in a gigantic, swirling ball of fire which launched itself at Blue's form. Once more, Blue cried out as he was forced to fling up his shield, protecting himself from the blast- but sweat was still racing down the sides of his temple from the heat rolling around him- he knew his time was running thin.

As soon as the blast had eroded, Blue jerked down his shield, his wide eyes looking feverishly ahead at his friend. Red… He was still advancing upon him, the jellyfish sending jolts of electricity all around his body, controlling his body, forcing his hand to once more hold up his Fire Rod, preparing another, final, deadly blast of flame…

Blue grit his teeth. Could he…? Could he really attack his own friend? When he'd freed both Green and Vio, he'd attacked from behind, precise and certain he would not hurt them, and instead get the controlling one off their neck. But here he was, cornered and standing face-to-face in front of Red… Only by fighting him hands-on, with his sword and shield, would he be able to get behind him and have a shot at freeing him. But could he even do that? Was he this kind of person, who could bury for a moment these emotions to fight, to do what had to be done?

And as the fire burst from the tip of his rod, Blue shouted out, torn in two, as he rolled off to the side, bursting through the jellyfish and away from the attacking flame, knowing now: he could not.

The creatures swarming all around him stung him from all sides, but, ignoring the screams of pain, Blue charged onwards, boldly and blindly, his only thought to regroup with the others so they could figure out a plan… But when he finally broke through the swarm, falling against the wall and gasping in the pain of the electrical shocks, he looked wearily to the side, hoping to see the other two there beside him, who would be able to help and figure out a way to free Red without…

He hadn't thought before that his heart could sink lower in his chest than it already was- but as his wide eyes looked on in horror at the sight before him, he knew that he had been wrong.

Standing before him were his friends- yet, as they looked over at him after Blue had burst through the wall of jellyfish, Blue knew… they could not see him. Their eyes were white, the souls in their blue eyes invisible to him and the sparks of fierce, yellow electricity wrapping around their forms as the multiple, stinging tentacles wrapped around every surface on their bodies. Green and Vio, standing side-by-side, emotionlessly turned their heads towards Blue as he broke through the swarm… and as Red's own form slowly and calmly walked through the swarm, joining the three as they looked down at the fourth in their blank and unfeeling stares, Blue felt as if all had been lost.

He tried to choke out his words, but found his voice was silent as he stumbled backwards, his eyes wide as he looked at the three of his friends, taken by the enemy and turned against him in an unknowing, unfeeling madness of rage…

And, without a second longer of hesitation, the three Links took a step forward as they shouted out, flinging their weapons in unison together against the last one standing. Green's boomerang twirled viciously through the air as it was hurled forcefully forwards, Vio's bow rang out sharply as arrows flew relentlessly from its strings, and the flames of Red's Fire Rod roared out at Blue as all three weapons were lunged out at the final Link.

Despite being in shock and despair from the turn of events, Blue was not stupid- and, gritting his teeth, forcing his own sorrows aside, lashed out with his own shield, rolling to the side to avoid the flames, thrusting his shield upwards to deflect the arrows and slicing upwards with his shield, deflecting the blow of the boomerang. For some reason, the swarm of jellyfish had all but receded, leaving a wide open space for the four to fight, hovering against the sides of the walls. Though Blue pondered on this for a moment, he wasted no longer than that moment to think about it- he didn't have time for that.

Once again, they were upon them- as they had learned from each previous fight, the jellyfish now commanded their three captured warriors artfully as Red, Green, and Vio all surrounded Blue from all sides, readying their weapons once more for another attack. Blue's eyes narrowed in fierce concentration as he crouched in his defensive stance, his shield raised and his sword held tightly in his grasp. He could hold them off… He'd do his best… But how in the world was he going to free all three of them? While they were all attacking him?

And yet, not a second more was given to him to think- and once again, they were upon him.

The harsh, maliciously burning flames… The deadly whirr of the boomerang as it sliced the air around him… the arrows slicing through the air all around him… Crying out loud, Blue lifted his sword, dodging to the side, swinging his shield and leaping over or rolling downwards, evading each of the attack as it came. When the fire swept over him, his focused eyes sought him a way out, and he rolled off to the side, holding his shield at the ready to protect him from its flames as he ran. And when the boomerang was hurtled straight towards his head, within a heartbeat he had leapt upwards, whirling around in air as he sliced back his blade against the weapon, sending it flying back towards it owner. And upon landing, as the arrows assaulted him once more, his shield was flung up and he turned quickly to the side, briefly protecting himself as he swung outwards, slicing most of the projectiles in half before they had even a chance to reach him.

And once more, he was forced back up against the wall- and though he had expertly evaded all of their attacks, hardly a scratch on his body and even sent back their attacks to them… he was drenched in his own sweat, and he was hunched over, panting heavily in exhaustion, his muscles crying out in pain from merely standing. While he had been able to keep it off for a while due to his own stubbornness, the despair was slowly creeping back as the realization sunk in.

He couldn't defeat them… not all three of them, not all at once… And even if he physically could, if he had the strength to fight all of them back and overtake them in order to free them… he could not bring himself to do it. For every time his arm had lashed out his sword, or he had rolled to the side to dodge an attack, he had been screaming inside his mind from the agony of having to fight against his friends. If he had the opportunity, would he even strike them down…? Could he…? No… he could not. Whatever he was supposed to be, whoever he was, he could not remember anything past what he saw in front of him, his three friends advancing upon him, needing their friend to save them yet doing everything in their power to keep him from doing it…

And as the unfamiliar tears began to blur his vision, the angry sparks of lightning from the jellyfish around him lighting up the room in the blinding, yellow light… He backed up against the wall, and as the cool surface of the temple's wall chilled him to the bone… The light in the room flashed all around him, and for a moment, he could see nothing in the blinding, unseeing light… nothing except for what had always been there before.

_…_

_Nearly scattered, each struggling on their own to climb the treacherous heights, the three others were just barely trudging through the snow, struggling against the wind and the snowfall…_

_ … Wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulder and grunting something between clenched teeth, Blue forcefully hoisted the smaller Link to his feet. His eyes were squinting against the harsh, freezing wings, and he quietly whimpered, his head falling between his shoulders._

_ Shouting aloud, Blue jolted his elbow into his friend's side, giving a grin as he loudly encouraged him onwards. And this time, when he helped him to his feet, a small, reassured smile was on Red's face, and he nodded, turning to continue trudging up the snow-covered mountain…_

_ And then there was Green… half-collapsed in the snow, struggling against the blistering winds of the blizzard… Though he tried to urge the others onwards ahead of him, Blue would have none of it. They'd follow him, whether they liked it or not- he was not about to let them all go out without a fight. _

_He snapped once more at their leader, refusing to let him give up, lifting him up out of the snow and urging him forwards. Finally, giving a weak grin, Green leaned on his friend's shoulder, relying on his strength to regain his own, until finally his shaking feet resumed their climb on the snowy summit. _

_ And lastly, blindly struggling behind them all and hunched over through the snow, there was Vio… Blue shouted at him as he helped him to his feet, though the other looked away. Their wounded pride and hearts went out to each other, and in the roaring winds of the blizzard, in their own silence, each forgave the other and were each forgiven. Finally, issuing an encouraging challenge, Blue stepped back as Vio stood under his own power, and continued to walk up the icy slope. _

_ Blue looked out at his friends as they continued climbing the forsaken mountain, carrying on by their own strength- yet also through the strength lent to them by their rock and their unwavering pillar of support. Each relied on the other, yet they all leaned on the source of their strength and determination- and, his chest swelling in renewed confidence and pride, Blue trudged up the mountain after them, a small smile across his face…_

_ …_

They had relied on him…

When they had needed him, he was there.

Pushing past the pain and the hardships, ignoring them and charging headlong into battle… he knew right where he was supposed to be- where he _would_ be- behind them, pushing them through their toughest times… In the middle of them, fighting alongside them and lending them his strength… And in front of them, protecting them with all his might and banishing their enemies to the depths of hell itself.

He no longer needed to ask himself who he _was…_

_ Memories or not… I know who I __**am.**_

Blue's eyes narrowed in restored, fierce determination, the bright light of the room returning to normal and the sights of the battle restored to his vision. The cries of his muscles and the pain shouting out in his mind were ignored, forgotten- pushed aside. They were irrelevant. And the ache in his heart… It no longer weighed him down, but gave him strength. For his friends… for Red, Green and Vio… he would finish this. There was no other option- he would not give up on his friends, and would not back down- even if the fires of hell itself rose up against him, he would continue to fight. He grit his teeth, and tightened his grip on his sword and shield, looking ahead, unafraid, at the three heroes who stood facing him on all sides. Each of them were raising their weapons, once more readying an assault upon the lone hero.

And yet, in the heat of battle, as the horribly outnumbered and outmatched Blue was slowly closed in on…

Out of seemingly nowhere, but somehow feeling it was only right, a sharp, bold and unafraid grin suddenly came across Blue's face, and as he exchanged his sword for the sturdy, massive hammer clenched in his tight grasp, his lips parted in a laugh as he spoke, confident and fearless.

"…_Bring it."_

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><p><strong>-dies of awesome overload-<strong>

**WE LOVE YOU BLUE. -cough- **

**ANYWAYS. How in the world will Blue be able to stand up against all three of the other Links? Does he even stand a chance?**

**Find out in the next chapter, Chapter Thirty-Five: _Onslaught_!**


	35. Onslaught

**Yup, two chaps in one day! :O Will Blue be able to save the others? Will they finally find the Water Element?**

**Read on ahead and enjoy! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Five:<strong> Onslaught

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><p>The three surrounding him waited not a second longer as they each leapt forward, once more lashing out mercilessly with their weapons at the overwhelmed and outnumbered Link. And yet, as Blue watched the three, dangerous weapons hurtling his way- the blasting flame of Red's Fire Rod, the dangerous whirling of Green's boomerang, and the swift, deadly whirr of Vio's arrows- he felt not a hint of fear or worry. Instead, he kept his bold grin on his face- and moved.<p>

He knew there would be no way in hell he could defeat his three friends- but defeating them wasn't the goal, here. All he had to do was get at each of their backs in order to cut off the main controlling jellyfish on the back of their neck. And the only thing standing in his way for this were those three weapons flying towards him- so, without a second's pause, he'd leapt forward right into the fray, grinning as he knew just what he needed to do.

It was no surprise to him which weapon reached him first, as he ran forwards, towards the three Links- and, for the moment, all he needed to do was once more throw up his shield and jump to the side, just barely avoiding the singing heat of the burst of flames. And as he rolled to the side, in the split second as he jumped up- he grinned, tossing his hammer up in the air. Jumping up after it, he then tightly gripped it in his hand- and, shouting out, swung it forcefully downwards at the next weapon headed his way.

Green's boomerang was instantly stopped by the intense force of the hammer, and as Blue hammered it into the ground, all its momentum was lost- and it could not return to its owner. Grinning, Blue quickly lifted his hammer off the weapon- and, laughing, scooped it up, quickly pocketing it and jumping back, out of reach of the others. And not a second after he took the boomerang- clanks bounced against the side of his shield, and he grinned, looking to the side as Vio continued to launch arrow after arrow upon him.

Laughing as he ran headlong, boldly and unafraid into the fray, Blue gripped his hammer tightly as he rushed the other Link, giving his friend not a second to react as he instead ran right up to him- and yet, rolling off to the side, caught his friend off-guard as soon as he ran up to him. His hammer once more jerked out- and, with a resounding thud and resulting clank, the bow in his hands was forcibly knocked out, scattered forward onto the floor along with its multiple arrows. Vio had been surprised by the attack as Blue had charged in, and, using this to his advantage, Blue had knocked the bow out of his hand- and, without a second's more breath, had ran back, picking the bow up and putting it away.

"Two down," he breathed to himself, panting heavily from the fight- but still grinning. Green and Vio, weaponless, were looking emotionlessly at each other- but said nothing more as they turned back towards Blue, drawing instead their swords and shields. Blue laughed- this was exactly what he intended. However, he couldn't deal with them- not just yet. Instead, his eyes jerked to the side at the one still left gripping tight their powerful, dangerous weapon.

"… One to go," he finished, gritting his teeth as the heartache and rage once more welled up in his chest upon seeing the small Link wordlessly approach him, the Fire Rod lifting high in his hand as he prepared to strike yet again-

… He could not hesitate. Not again- and not anymore.

And as the flames burst forward from the orb, Blue ran straight into the path of the fire, eyes narrowed and fists tightened- and when the blast of flame blew over him, shouted out as, in the last second, the Link rolled down close to the floor, using his last few seconds to cover the final distance between him and Red, and, in the same motion, avoid the head-on attack of the dangerous flames.

Leaping up mere inches in front of Red, unscarred from the flames, Blue instantly and without hesitation jerked out his hammer, slamming it sideways against his friend. He couldn't bear the thought of ever hurting his friend- and so his eyes lit up in triumph as the blunt side of his hammer flew mere centimeters away from Red's chest, missing him by yet a hair, yet firmly struck the Fire Rod in his hands, sending it flying off to the side. Red's white eyes jerked open in surprise- yet, again, Blue seized this opportunity to keep his momentum going, leaping to the side and running after the fallen Fire Rod, scooping it up and holding it for himself.

Sweat was long past just forming on his temple, and instead streams of it trickled down the sides of his temple and neck, his entire body heaving with the gasps of breath demanded by his exhausted muscles and lungs. The battle was half-won… Backing up against the wall, he set his narrowed, focused sight on the three once again, watching as they silently drew their sword and shield, unaffected by the loss of their weapons, and continued once more to advance.

And yet, Blue grinned.

_No_ one beat him at the sword. This was _exactly_ what he wanted.

So when the three Links raised their sword and shield, shouting out as they all ran after him at once… Blue merely grinned, tightening the grip on his own Four Sword, his hammer shield long put away. This was the final stretch- he would not lose.

Clasping both hands over the hilt of his sword, Blue's eyes flashed in fury and concentration, and, leaping into the fray of battle, shouted out as he ran forwards, unafraid, to the three attacking warriors.

Green reached him first, slicing outwards in a powerful and heavy horizontal slice, his shield held backwards as he attacked. However, nearly laughing, Blue swung with all his might his own sword against Green's attack- and, his strike out-forcing the other's, pushed his blade backwards, forcing the other to stumble back, off-balance. With the others seconds away from closing in, Blue seized his chance- and, slicing his own blade downwards in front of him, caused the other to stumble backwards once more in an attempt to evade it. Not a second more was lost as Blue rolled quickly around his friend, leaping up and, in the same, swift motion, twirling around with his sword flung fiercely around him in a quick spin.

He could feel the tip of his blade make contact with the wet, squishy surface of the jellyfish, and watched with triumphant eyes as the opaque-pink creature was flung to the ground, wrenched off its target. The shock of electricity jolted through his body upon the creature's defeat, but his grit his teeth, keeping his body tense against the pain. Blue knew he couldn't waste a second more- and leapt back in an instant, only just avoiding a clever, calculated stab strike from Vio's sword. Green, for the moment, had fallen to the ground, the other jellyfish seemingly, for the moment, unwilling to leave their target. But that was alright, for now- he still had two more left to go, anyways.

And as Vio once more leapt forward in a powerful Jump Strike, Blue grinned as he rolled off to the side, swinging his sword back as the two met in a clashing arc above him. Stepping forward, Blue shouted out as he sliced Vio's sword away- and, lunging forward with a stab of his own, while jumping to the side, watched with a grin as his blade sunk through the jellyfish on the back of his friend's neck, flinging it off to the side as Vio collapsed motionlessly to the ground. Once more the painful shock came- but once again he brushed it aside, mentally preparing himself for one final fight.

Lastly… Still panting and heaving from the exertion, Blue looked up and over at Red. He had seemingly waited until both Vio and Green had fallen… But now, he was approaching, his sword raised and readied in his hands. Blue bit his lip- but, his eyes narrowed, hesitated not a second longer as he charged head-long after his friend. And as Red shouted out, initiating a quick and powerful Spin Attack, Blue leapt forward and over the blade- bringing it down sharply across the hilt of the sword itself. Red gasped, leaning forward expectantly as the blade was forced out of his hand, jerked off uselessly to the side.

And before he could move an inch more-

Gasping, Red stumbled forward weakly, slowly falling to his knees and crumpling to the ground, Blue standing behind him and holding on the end of his sword the limp, motionless carcass of the pink-colored jellyfish which had been attached to his neck. Scowling, Blue flung it spitefully to the ground, panting and gasping for breath, his muscles shaking in exertion- but with a grim, triumphant smile on his face, his muscles shaking as the final wave of electricity shocked through his body. He… he'd done it.

And as he looked around, his eyes falling on the stinging demons which had still clung to his friends bodies… No longer were they exploding in a flash of electrical light. Instead, with the loss of the final controlling elements of their swarm, they were slowly dissolving into nothingness, the natural light of the room shining through them and gradually dissipating the electrical monsters into thin air. And when the final one had disappeared, a new sound came into the room- a soft whirring, accompanied by a faintly glowing red light. Blue hardly even needed to look- he knew, the third machine was working again.

However… this was not what worried him. The jellyfish were gone… and slowly, the three Links were starting to groggily come to, groaning and mumbling under their breath as they pushed themselves up off the floor, rubbing their eyes and muttering confusedly as they each looked around them. And yet, as they all finally turned to face Blue, their eyes grew wide with sudden realization.

"B… Blue… did we…" Green choked out, his eyes wide as fear and guilt gripped tightly around his heart.

"You…" Vio was hardly any better, unable to make sense of his own words as he stared wide-eyed, incredulous, at the weary and battered warrior before them.

"I'm… Oh no, I'm so sorry, Blue!" Red wailed, finally understanding what had happened and hiding behind the others, burying his face ashamedly in his hands.

However, unfazed by their reactions, Blue merely grinned, shrugging. "What are you guys _talking_ about?" he asked weirdly, raising an eyebrow at them. They paused and stared at him, and Blue merely shrugged once more. "I dunno what you guys are even talking about, but the gate should be open now, so, come on. Let's go." Without waiting for a response, the hero instead grinned as he turned towards the door-

"Oh, and before I forget, here," Blue said, looking over his shoulder with a cheeky, mischievous grin, tossing at each of them their respective weapons. The Links caught them in their hands, staring at them briefly before looking up at Blue in confusion- but, laughing quietly to himself, Blue merely shook his head, smiling as he pushed on through the tunnel and back to the main room, the others following quietly behind him.

* * *

><p>"We <em>were<em>," Vio maintained.

"Were not," Blue replied with a smart, cocky grin.

"Were _too_!" Green insisted.

"Were not."

"Blue, we know what happened, we really-" Red tried to plead.

"Look, I could do this _all _day," Blue interrupted with a laugh, looking back over his shoulder at the others who were following him through the deep, downwards-leading tunnel past the gate. "You weren't possessed, you were knocked out. And whether you believe me or not," he added with a grin, continuing walking down the path ahead unfazed, "I'll still keep saying it- you _weren't_." His eyes glinted as he looked over his shoulder. "…Care to try me?"

The three Links sighed as they looked at each other, shaking their heads helplessly and giving up- though each of them wearing reluctant smiles on their faces.

The walk the rest of the way was light-hearted, Red's Fire Rod lighting the way and the four walking together in a tight-knit grouping, laughing and joking and enjoying each other's company. They each knew where they were headed- the depths of the Water Temple, where the element was waiting. And, each of them knew, in the back of their minds- they would probably once more have to face against a ferocious, monstrous enemy which was guarding it. However, by now, the news hardly fazed them, and, with this knowledge, they merely continued walking forwards, ready to face whatever came at them as a team.

Blue had decided not to tell them what had happened in the third and final generator room- was it a bit selfish of him? …Probably. But the last thing he wanted was more of their apologies, seeing them full of guilt and hurt at the thought of what they'd done. Especially Red… He wasn't even sure how the smallest of them would handle the idea that he had once attacked his own friends against his will. And besides, what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them- it'd just be his little secret. He grinned at the thought- even if they never knew, at least _he'd_ know just how awesome he was.

Finally, after the many long minutes of the four travelling down the dark passageway, a light came at the end of the tunnel- and the four Links calmly and quietly walked into the next room, looking around them in silent, wide-eyed surprise.

The room they were in had a high roof… the room itself was massive, larger than any room they'd been in. However, it was more long than it was wide- for running through the center of the room itself, flowing through a hole in one side of the wall and out through a tunnel to the side, was a massive and large river. Its current was swift; the white waves capped and churned as they flowed rapidly down the river running through the center of the room. The river flowed quick through the empty chamber, leaving it as it flowed down a tunnel to the side. However, though the river was indeed impressive, the Links had their sights set on something else, instead.

A simple wooden bridge had been constructed over the river- and as the Links approached it, each could see over and past it to the wall on the other side of the river- and the dark opening which clearly showed a tunnel on the other side. Though the Links looked at each other in confusion, they shrugged, moving instead quietly over the bridge in order to get to the only possible exit, the tunnel on the other side.

Their footsteps clanked quietly and dully against the wood of the bridge as they stepped onto its surface, looking around suspiciously, though keeping calm in their trek over it. It wasn't that long or tall of a bridge, either- and it wasn't rickety or unstable. Just a normal, average bridge, leading to the other side of the river.

However, as the others continued walking over its peak, Blue found himself hesitating, stopping for a moment as he looked over the bridge, behind them, frowning in curiosity. He could've sworn… No… did he…?

"… What's up, Blue? You coming?"

Blue blinked, looking back at the others and noticing they had stopped, looking back and waiting for him. Shaking his head to snap himself out of his thoughts, Blue gave a grin and shrug. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, keep your hat on." He frowned however as he walked, looking behind him and muttering, "Could'a sworn I saw something…" As he reached them, he grinned and shrugged. "Probably nothing, though."

Green nodded. "Alright, let's g-"

Interrupting Green in an instantaneous explosion of sound and water, the Links suddenly whirled around, wide-eyed as they stared at the massive, colossal monster which head leapt out of the water from behind them, roaring in bestial fury, its gaping jaws wide open and its multiple, shark-like teeth hungrily reaching out for its targets. The demonic-looking creature, shark-like in shape yet with multiple, spiral-horned dorsal fins running down its back, a tail which split in two at its end, and four fins lined with a chitinous, spiral-bone material, leapt in a massive arc as it sailed out of the waters below, its wide-open and dangerous jaws aimed straight for the center of the bridge itself. And though its jaws were wide open, ready to engulf the heroes in its mouth, gleaming atop its head sat a massive, spiral-loop horn, pointing sharply towards the sky. The entire explosion of water and monster had lasted seconds- and the Links had not a second more before the massive shark-like monster dove downwards, its wide-open jaws closing around the wood of the bridge, and the rest of its heavy, scaled body slamming down against the wooden scaffolding, causing the bridge to splinter and shatter into dozens of pieces.

The Links had each done their best to leap to the side as the beast leapt out of the water and slammed down upon the bridge, but it had all happened too fast- and they had not enough time to get off before the bridge broke beneath their feet, exploding outwards in a blast of shrapnel and water and sending the four screaming heroes plunging down, down into the icy-cold waters of the rushing, churning rapids below.

And, screaming and roaring in its blind, reckless fury, the massive Raging Aquatic Chondrichthian, Gyorxok, dove back down into the waters, the river splashing furiously with his movement as the shark-like monster swam deep through the river, carrying along with it the broken pieces of the bridge and the four Links, struggling adrift in the choppy, churning waters of the raging river.

When the water had hit him, it had nearly paralyzed him from the shock of the impact and the freezing temperature waters- but, forcing the pain and the shock away, Blue struggled against the waves and the waters, swimming up to the surface and bursting out, gasping for breath in the seconds before he was once more buffeted from behind and from all sides by the relentless, churning waves, pushed downwards and swirled in all directions. He was forced down under the water again- but he would not be kept under. Gritting his teeth and swimming, fighting and struggling against the waters, Blue once more burst out from above the water, gasping for breath- though this time, his arms wrapping fiercely around a piece of the bridge which had been churned through the water alongside him, though floating just above the waters of the river.

Coughing out the water which had gone down his throat and quickly brushing aside his soaking wet bangs, Blue blinked past the water, his eyes urgent as he looked from side to side. "GREEN! VIO, RED! WHERE ARE YOU?-!" he shouted out, yelling as loud as he could while also doing his best to keep his balance on the rickety, yet still floating piece of plywood.

"B-Blue! Over here!"

Gasping and coughing again, wiping the salty, freezing water out of his eyes, Blue looked to the side instantly upon hearing Green's voice. However, he noticed something which made him heart sink- they were engulfed in darkness, the river having led them out of the previous room and was now running down the dark, long passageway. He could see nothing but the faint outlines of the waves as they crashed and churned all around him- once more, he called out to the others, and they replied in a loud, yet also shaken voice- following the cries, Blue struggled through the water until he could just barely see their forms on the far side of the river, clinging to a larger piece of the bridge which had broken off from Gyorxok's initial attack.

And yet, before he could even turn to move their way-

In another flurry of choppy, raging waters, the massive shark monster once more burst out from under the waters, leaping upwards as its streamlined body curved in the air above the river. Its jaws were wide open as it lunged for the three heroes- and, choking out a cry, Blue leapt forward off his floating piece of wood, desperately trying to chase after Gyorxok before it was able to devour his friends. The water hit him cold and fierce, and once more he was tossed in the vicious waves- though, just barely above the waters, he could see Gyorxok's form slip back into the water, the waves churning in his wake- and the three heroes still clinging to their float. He'd missed- and Blue was not going to let this opportunity go to waste.

Gasping and struggling against the waves, Blue swam and flailed through the water as best he could, the current madly blowing him in all direction, forcing him once again under the fierce water-

And yet, gasping for breath, Blue suddenly found himself jerked upwards, a fierce tug on the back of his tunic as Vio grabbed the back of his clothes, pulling him out of the current's strong pull and heaving him closer to the others. Blue's hands scrambled onto the piece of wood the others were holding onto, and, coughing the water out of his system, shook his dizzy head, weakly opening his eyes to make sure they were all there.

"G-Green, Vio… What… what do we do?" Red cried out, also coughing against the water that was splashing over them, doing his best to hold on tight to their floating piece of wood. Green's grip was held firmly on the float, but his other hand was also wrapped around Red's middle, keeping the weaker Link afloat and making sure he didn't slip off their float. His eyes were wide and his chest heaving- he didn't know what on earth they could do. They were out of their element entirely- and thrown against their will into the boss'.

"We… we can't fight him like this! We'll _drown_!" Vio shouted, his eyes blinded by a splash of water, yet both his arms taken by holding onto the float and helping Blue get his own grip onto the piece of wood. His eyes were shut tight against the salty, freezing water as he yelled again, "Maybe the river ends up ahead and we can get out and fight him then!"

"And what if it doesn't? We can't take that chance!" Green shouted back, not necessarily angry yet needing to raise his voice over the roar of the waves and of the beast circling them from beneath the waters.

Blinking against the rushing, pounding waves, Blue groaned under his breath and past gritted teeth as he held the wood tightly underneath him, looking around frantically for the monster. And there, before his eyes, the massive shark monster Gyorxok leapt out of the waters once more, screaming and thrashing and sailing through his element. He was an impressive, terrifying sight, his mouth wide open, hundreds of rows of teeth flashing against the dim light bouncing around the damp, stone walls of the tunnel, his horn-laced dorsal fins and the massive, spiral-curved horn atop his head…

And as it slammed back into the water once more, Blue's eyes widened, watching as the thousands of droplets of water flew into the air all around it, the waves churning and thrashing beneath the might of the demonic creature.

"G-Guys, I think I know what to do! Leave it to me!" Blue gasped, looking over at the others briefly before turning around and forcibly letting go of the raft, diving back into the waters. He could faintly hear the cries of the others as they shouted after him, pleading and ordering him to get back to the raft, but as he forced his eyes to open under the choppy waves of the water, he had to ignore them- he had to swim ahead and get to the damned shark before it had the chance to land a successful strike. Because the first time its jaws would close around his friends… that would be the end.

The water carried him in his forward direction, and though he fought against the churning waves pushing him back, the current propelled him forward, his arms diving in and out of the water as he swam as fast as he could, forwards and away from the others, towards Gyorxok- who he could see swimming in a calm circle, its massive form unaffected by the force of the river's pull, preparing for another strike. Taking a deep breath, Blue dove back under the water, taking out his sword in the midst of the raging river and swimming down, deep under the river, his breath held tight and his eyes narrowed and focused on the monster below…

And as Gyorxok roared under the water, flashing its teeth and lashing its dual-ended tail behind it, the massive fish monster began to swim upwards, preparing another strike… Yet, having not seen the approaching boy from above him, was oblivious to the boy as it began to swim faster and faster towards the surface, its pointed nose aimed sky-wards and head tilted back, jaw open…

And yet, as the massive beast lunged out of the water once more, the eyes of the three terrified Links shot upwards in a different sort of horror at what they saw. For it wasn't just Gyorxok who had leapt out of the water- but, carrying an unwanted passenger, Blue, atop its head. The Link had wrapped a free arm around the horn of the beast's head- and, raising the sword in his other hand, shouted as he plunged it deep in the top of the monster's head, the tip driving through the flesh and angled down under the horn itself.

Screaming and roaring in pain, Gyorxok jerked back instantaneously to the hit, flailing backwards and landing sideways back into the water.

"BLUE! BLUE!"

The Links screamed and shouted Blue's name- and as Gyorxok continued to thrash in the water, Blue grit his teeth, holding onto the creature's horn for dear life. And yet, even more terrifying than the sight of their friend struck on the beast's head…

The hearts of the Links slowly sunk, their eyes widening in horror at what they saw.

"B-BLUE! GET BACK! _LOOK BEHIND YOU!-!-!"_

Gasping, though hearing the cries of his friends, Blue forced his head to look past him as he continued to hang onto the thrashing monster- and his eyes, too, widened in fear. For coming up terrifyingly soon, headed in the direction of the current's pull… the river ended. It stopped- and he could hear the roar of the waterfall's crash miles and miles below. Blue whipped his head back towards the others, his eyes wide. They were shouting, yelling at him- pleading with him to get off the monster, swim back to them…

Blue swallowed a tight knot in his throat. He looked down at his sword, sunk deep in the head of the enemy- and, gritting his teeth, pulled once in his blade, trying to jerk it out. It wouldn't budge. His heart began to race, as the waterfall grew closer and Gyorxok beneath him continued to thrash more and more violently in the waves… Once more, the others shouted his name… Blue's eyes widened, and his heart stopped.

Shouting aloud and gasping for breath, Blue left his sword plunged in the head of his enemy, letting go of the horn and running down the monster's face, leaping off the tip of its nose as the others encouraged him on…

And yet, the three Links watched in sudden, chilled and petrified horror, their hearts freezing in seconds, as Blue leapt through the air… And, in an instant, screeching and roaring in pain and fury, the great shark monster Gyorxok twisted and lunged over the waters in mid-air, its wide-open jaws slowly closing around their friend and snapping shut- and, in the very next instant, roaring as it toppled over the side of the waterfall, disappearing from their sight, with only the dull, echoing sound of its roars fading through the tunnel as it plunged down the falls.

* * *

><p><strong>Blue managed to free the others and restore the last machine, granting the heroes access to the chamber below the Temple... <strong>

**However, the heroes have suddenly got way more than they bargained for with the sudden appearance of the devestating shark-like monster, Gyorxok! **

**What will happen to Blue? Has Gyorxok truly devoured him as the two fell over the falls? And what about the other Links, will they too soon have to face the terror of the waterfall's drop?**

**GAH! The suspense is killing me! ;D**

**Find out in tomorrow's epic update, Chapter Thirty-Six: _Strike!_**


	36. Strike

**Time to return to the Links in the depths of the Water Temple!**

**Has Blue survived being eaten alive by Gyorxok? Will the Links be able to defeat the boss and reclaim the fourth and final element?**

**Read on ahead to find out! :D**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Six:<strong> Strike

* * *

><p>Roaring and bellowing out the might of its rage, the waters continued to violently churn forwards, rapidly flowing downwards towards the plummeting falls before them. And while the screams of the shark beast Gyorxok had long faded away after it was sucked away by the pull of the falls, the Links had not stopped shouting, their hearts ripped from their chests as they watched in wide-eyed horror as their friend was devoured by the beast, moments before it disappeared over the edge of the falls.<p>

"N-NO! _BLUE_!" Green shouted out, his eyes wide as he gasped, hardly knowing what he was doing as he released his grip on their raft, lunging forwards-

And yet, gasping and grunting, Vio's hand jerked out to the side, clasping firmly around Green's tunic. "Green, no! Don't!" the Link cried out as he held onto Green, keeping him from swimming into the very peak of the falls, though his own eyes were wide in terror-stricken grief. However, even though he held back their leader from swimming after the two who had fallen over the waters… There was no stopping them from being carried by the flow of the raging waters, closer and closer to the falls.

"E-everybody, hold on!" Red cried, tears streaming down his face as he gripped tight onto the raft, his eyes squinting shut and his teeth grit firmly as the falls approached, bracing himself for the plummet…

Screaming aloud, the three heroes could do nothing to stop themselves as they reached the very end of the waterfall- and, though scrambling to keep a hold of their raft and of each other, all holds were broken as the three children toppled over the sudden drop, falling down amongst the rushing roar of water…

And, in an instant, the breath was knocked out of them as water once more engulfed them, each of the three plunging deep into the water at the bottom of the waterfall.

Gasping for breath as his head broke the surface, Green's eyes were wide as he looked frantically around, choking out the others' names- and though he breathed a brief sigh of relief upon seeing Red and Vio's heads resurface moments later, he still would not stop. Instead, gasping in a sharp, deep breath, Green instantly dove back underneath the water, he desperately searching the water which they had fallen into.

It was a large, round enclosed lake, with water lapping up at the sides of the walls and sand covering the deep, smooth bottom. It was stirred up in places, and clouded the waters in its murky, grey haze. Frantically, Green whirled around under the water, his eyes wide and his breath held tight as he searched for-

-what was that? He could've sworn he saw something move in a distant cloud of disturbed sand… Without thinking, Green quickly swam downwards, propelling himself as fast as he could through the water to the murky cloud below…

Red and Vio, gasping as they tried to keep afloat in the deep waters, looked at one another briefly before looking around, blinking as they noticed Green had disappeared. Treading water, and their exhaustion growing by the second, the two called out for their leader…

Yet, surprising the two in a quick, fierce jolt, a small explosion burst from the waters behind them, and they each turned around in the waters, eyes wide at what they saw-

"…_BLUE_! GREEN!"

Swimming quickly over to their two friends, gasping against the exertion, Red and Vio each gathered around the sides of their two friends, looking worriedly at their leader as his arm was wrapped tightly around their friend's limp, unmoving side. Green's eyes were wide and he was gasping for breath, hardly able to support both their weight in the water, and even as Vio moved to try and hold Blue up for him, they were running out of energy…

Eyes wide, Red suddenly gasped sharply- and, wasting not a second more, whipped out from behind him his weapon.

"ICE ROD!"

Shouting aloud, Red ordered the blast of frosty magic to hurtle from the tip of his rod, crackling as it formed a thick sheet of ice over the water in front of them. Wasting not a second more and putting his Ice Rod away, Red quickly swam over to the iceberg, climbing aboard it and turning around, extending his hand.

"Great idea, Red!" Vio gasped, helping Green hoist Blue through the waters over to the iceberg. Grabbing hold of Blue's arm and pulling him half onto the iceberg, Red grunted as he strained with all his might to help their friend onto the platform of ice. And as Green and Vio helped from behind, pushing Blue over into the ice…

Coughing up a storm, his chest heaving and his fingers tightening weakly on the smooth ice beneath him, Blue's eyes squinted shut as his body started to shake and heave, expelling the water from his lungs as the others heaved him onto the ice platform. And though the others breathed a collective sigh of relief- Red extending the ice platform large enough for the others to crawl on top of as well- Blue continued to cough, his body doubling over and his hand clutching painfully at his chest. In worry, the others gathered around him, helping him sit up and pounding his back.

Finally, gasping for breath and shaking his head weakly, Blue's eyes blinked open, groaning as he finally sat up under his own power. He put a hand to his head, wincing in sharp pain as he looked over at the others.

"G… Guys…"

"Don't talk," Vio instantly spoke- though he was incredibly relieved their friend was doing alright, he knew they still had to be serious. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder, his voice calm and concerned. "Just rest. You almost drowned, Blue- if not for Green, that is."

Grunting as he pulled himself over the ice, last to sit on the ice platform, Green blinked, looking up as he was mentioned. He shot a glare over at Blue as he knelt on the ice- how much he wanted to shout and yell at Blue for being so headstrong and stubborn and thoughtless, having been terrified beyond words when he saw the creature eat him… yet as Blue continued to cough, trying to get the rest of the water out of his system and still coming to from unconsciousness, the leader merely sighed, shaking his head and giving a weak smile.

Red gave a weak smile, sniffing in tearful joy as he sat beside Blue. "Y-yeah… but… we're okay now, right?" he asked, looking up at Green with hopeful eyes. "That shark thing… Blue got it, didn't he?"

His coughing subsiding enough for him to speak, though still shivering from the cold of the water and his voice wavering, Blue grit his teeth as he snapped shakily, "My… my s-sword… I… I don't… don't kn-know where it is… Must'a still been stuck in that… that d-damned f-fish…"

The others looked at each other, their eyes clearly showing their worry. Blue's sword, plunged inside the head of the gargantuan shark, was now missing, the shark itself gone from their sight… What in the world were they going to do…?

However, a small voice spoke up, and Red, giving a small laugh, grinned as he said, "Heh, Blue, you sound kinda funny…" And though Blue gave him a resentful, angry glare, Red merely smiled, continuing, "Hey, it's okay, Blue. We'll find it, really. I… I know we will!"

Smiling, Green nodded, pushing aside the temporary setback. "Red's right," he said firmly, an encouraging smile on his soaking wet face, "right now, the important thing is that we're all together, and we're all okay. We'll find the sword- but for now, the most important thing is that we're all here."

"Red… You… you can stop that now, you know…"

The three Links blinked in confusion, looking over at Vio. Vio was frowning, looking over at Red and tilting his own head- seemingly just as confused as they were. Red blinked.

"What do you mean?" he asked quietly, puzzled. However, as the crackling and hissing sounds grew, an answer was not even needed from Vio- and instead, the heroes all looked around in wide-eyed surprise at what was happening all around them.

Like Red's Ice Rod forming the layer of ice above the water for them to sit on and regain their breath, the ice was slowly yet surely spreading over the entire arena of water… though it was surely not coming from the small Link and his weapon. And as it finally cracked and popped, cementing firmly over the entire surface of the water, the Links looked slowly towards each other, their breaths frozen in their chest as they knew what it could only mean.

And, without a second more given to the Links to think about the ice which had formed over the entity of the lake, that very ice was instantly and suddenly shattered right in front of their eyes- and the four Links watched in terror as, bursting from the water below and enshrined in a armor-like seal of glistening, translucent ice came a massive shell of the creature that had once attacked them.

Leaping forward and crashing through the ice overtop the waters, the water and ice glistening like diamond shards as they flew all around him in a haze, the massive shark's empty, hollow eye sockets stared down mockingly, in a sort of twisted glee, at its trapped prey. For the beast which had attacked them may have been no longer- but what stood in its place was far more terrifying than had first appeared. Its outer body was gone- replaced with a paisley-white assortment of bones, forming the massive skeleton of the shark monster, and though nearly its entire body was covered in the protective ice, there was one place where the ice did not reach- its massive skull, where, still stuck firmly in its center, Blue's Four Sword gleamed out from above them, its blade sunk deep all the way through the bone of the monster's skull.

And as its skeleton body curved horrifyingly in the air, its bestial roar replaced with a terrifying, ghastly screech of the dead, the Arctic Skeletal Ichthyoid, Gyorxok, turned its massive, horrifying skull downwards, its bony jaws separating and its rows of teeth lunging outwards at the children down below. And though the Links all tried to scramble out of the way, their feet slipped on the ice, and the massive skeleton came crashing down all too quickly upon them.

The ice shattered, cracking like lightning as it was struck by the massive force of the skeletal shark monster and splintering into hundreds of cracks and separate floes of ice. However, as the one it had landed upon shattered into trillions of pieces of ice, flying off in every corner of the room, the Links watched, helpless to save the smallest Link of them all as he was sent plunging down into the icy waters beneath the ice, the ground beneath him having caved in the instant Gyorxok had dove right through it.

"N-NO! _RED_!" Blue shouted, gasping as he stumbled and struggled to his feet, his wide eyes staring in empty horror at the patch of water, devoid of its ice covering, where Red had sunk into the water below. And, in his panic, ignoring the cries of the other two and pushing his way past them, Blue grit his teeth and took a deep, sharp breath- leaping forward and diving head-long into the chilly, frigid waters of the arena.

The water struck him once more as an arctic shock- the temperature had dropped dramatically as the ice had frozen over it, yet Blue ignored it, instead forcing his eyes open, bubbles drifting above him to the water's surface as he looked frantically around for any sight of Red or Gyorxok.

Skidding to a halt just before the hole in the ice, Green gasped as he looked down at the hole in terror, unable to prevent Blue from leaping in after Red. His head jerked up and he looked over at the other Link, still above the water. "Vio! We have to-"

And yet, jerking him out of his own words and stopping him mid-thought and mid-sentence, came a ghastly, almost other-worldly shriek, reverberating off the ice in an ear-splitting cry. The two Links instantly and instinctively covered their ears with their hands, wincing in pain from the loud scream- but, even more importantly, their eyes widened as they looked through the distorting, yet clear ice beneath them- and as the massive, terrifying form of Gyorxok swam underneath them, so they could each see a trail following after its form- dozens and dozens of smaller fish-like creatures, skeleton and resembling the large monster itself, were trailing after them, swarming around and chasing after the two heroes still trapped beneath the ice.

Shouting out, Green ran over the ice, chasing after the skeleton fish and lashing out with his boomerang. The wooden surface of his weapon twirled around in the air, curving down sharply and slicing through the very ice itself. And when it slammed back into Green's fist, Vio was already beside him, his bow raised and arrows flinging off the string in accurate, rapid succession. The thin, yet long trail Green's boomerang had sliced into the ice was just large enough- and Vio gave a grim smile, though continued firing his arrows, as one after another they struck the smaller fish, shattering the skeletons almost instantly.

Vio and Green exchanged wordless, understanding nods as they looked briefly at one another, then back at the fight beneath them. This was all they could do, for now- keep the smaller Gyorxok-like skeleton fish away from Red and Blue as the two did their best to get back above the water, out from under the ice. And, without further hesitation, the duo continued running over the ice, their footwork nimble and their attacks accurate, striking at the smaller Gyorxoks with their boomerang and bow.

From beneath the ice, Blue's eyes were wide, and growing even wider, as he continued to look for Red, but could not find him. His breath was growing short- he could only hold it for so long- and yet, as a cloud of dust was suddenly disturbed off in the distance, a bunch of small, Gyorxok-like fish swarming around it… Blue's eyes widened, then narrowed. It had to be Red! Gritting his teeth and ignoring his lungs' cry for air, he swam forwards with all his might, towards the dust cloud-

And yet, hardly aware of wasting what little breath he had left, Blue found himself shouting out loud, the air bubbles escaping from his muffled voice underwater and flying upwards to the surface as the smaller skeleton fish suddenly swarmed him, slamming him on all sides and setting their small, yet sharp teeth around every limb on his body. He was shouting as he thrashed about in the water, jerking his arms and legs and trying to get them off- they were pulling him down- trying to drown him- his breath was running out, his sword was gone, his eyes were widening in panic-

In the instant before the thought crossed Blue's mind that he might once again drown under the terrifying, chilly arctic waters of the lake, an even colder rush of water suddenly blasted past him, and his eyes widened as a fierce streak of ice shot past and all around him, slamming hard into each of the smaller fish which had attacked him and freezing them almost instantly. Blue's eyes jerked upwards in surprise- and yet, he had barely a second to react before Red's arm was wrapped around his shoulders, his other hand gripping tight onto his Ice Rod, and, gritting his teeth, Blue helped as best he could as they two swam towards the surface of the lake-

Bursting through a crack in the ice, each of them gasping for breath, Red and Blue practically exploded from beneath the water, each of them scrambling for hold on the ice platform around them. Almost instantly, the other two were at their sides, having seen them emerge from the water and each pulling the other up, back onto the massive, if broken and cracked, floes of ice.

"Red, Blue! You guys okay?" Green shouted, hauling back Blue onto the ice as Vio wrapped an arm around a soaking wet Red, getting him to his feet.

Choking out the water, Blue shook his head, squinting his eyes against the chill of the water as he and Red emerged from the lake below. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine, just…" Finally catching his breath, the Link opened his eyes, looking over at the others… Red was getting to his feet, giving a smile and a thankful nod Vio's way, his hand still grasped tightly around his Ice Rod. And Blue knew- it wasn't he who had saved Red, but Red who had saved him. If not for Red, he would've been dragged to the bottom of the water by those things… Blue gulped past a lump in his throat, stumbling to his feet and walking up to their smaller friend.

"Red… this may not be the time, or place," Blue grumbled under his breath, slightly hesitating for a second- though quickly shaking his head and saying firmly, "But, I'm sorry. I… I've doubted you more times than I should. You're a _great_ fighter… Thank you for… for saving me, back there." His serious look was quickly replaced with a grim smile, his best effort to deal with the apology. "…I never would've made it if not for you."

Though Vio and Green each knew their time was limited and ticking away, the massive beast Gyorxok swimming around maliciously just beneath their feet and awaiting the moment to strike- each of them were silent, for just this moment, as they knew it was needed between the two.

Red's eyes were slowly welling over in tears, and his smile was growing, spilling all over his face until, unable to hardly take it anymore, he burst out bawling, leaping forward and wrapping his arms tightly around his friend in a massive hug.

"Aww, Blue! _Thank you_, Blue! Thank you! That means _so_ much to me!"

And though Blue stammered and grumbled under his breath, taking a step back and rolling his eyes in feigned annoyance for the over-the-top display of friendship… a small smirk still tugged at the corner of his lip, and as he moved to pry Red off of him, he also wrapped an arm around his friend's back in return.

"Y-yeah, you're welcome. Now… get _off_ me!"

Laughing despite the terrifying situation, the four Links burst into wide grins as the two Links made up their differences, breaking apart once more and standing safely as a team on the ice.

Giving a wry grin, Vio looked over them all as he spoke quickly and bluntly, "great, now all emotions aside, how the heck are we going to deal with this massive skeleton?"

"Actually," Blue spoke up quickly, grinning from ear to ear as he took a step forward, "While I was down there, I noticed something. My sword's still stuck in his head, did you guys see that?" The others nodded, and Blue gave a dark laugh. "Well, right where my sword is, there's a _massive_ crack in his skull. If we can get it out of there, I'll bet you anything he'll fall to _pieces_!"

Their time was running out- this was a clear reminder to them as the ice beneath them suddenly heaved and jerked, their feet slipping as they struggled to regain their balance before slipping into the waters below through the multiple cracks in the ice floes. Gyorxok was thrashing about under the waters, its minions destroyed and once again left to swim around in fury under the ice. However, as it was beginning to calm, once more slowly circle the perimeter of the room… each of the Links knew, from its previous attack, that it was preparing for a second leap at them.

"Red," Blue quickly continued, jerking his head over to the other and snapping in a serious, urgent voice, "We need your Ice Rod to freeze it when it jumps out at us. Can you do that?"

Beaming and holding his Ice Rod proudly, Red nodded eagerly, grinning brightly, his chest swelling with pride- overjoyed that finally, Blue was understanding his worth as a fighter, and letting him put himself in danger along with the others to do his part.

"What are you planning, Blue?" Green asked seriously, looking at the drenched Link.

Vio nodded, agreeing. "How can we help?"

Blue hesitated. He had a plan in his mind, foolproof and absolutely perfect… But could he execute it? He knew he was strong, he had a tough determination and an iron will… Already he'd done so much for the Links, on his own and for their sake… However, now, he knew, this was different. He grit his teeth- and forced a grin.

"Can you guys help me?" he asked calmly yet forcefully, looking at each of them in turn, "When Red freezes it, I'll need to pull the sword out of its forehead before it can get out of the hold. I couldn't pull it out by myself earlier- but I think if we all work together, we can get it out."

The three others were silent for just a moment- but only just, and, in an instant following, the three broke into eager grins, nodding enthusiastically, laughing and voicing their approval. Blue gave a proud grin- he may do some things on his own, to help the others and protect them… but, when it got right down to it, he was happiest when he was fighting right alongside them. And he knew, memories or not, that, without a doubt- they were, too.

"Alright, then," Blue said with a laugh, whirling around and facing the shadow of the shark as it continued to glide beneath the surface of the ice. "_Get ready_!"

"Ready!" Red shouted, his eyes glistening in pride and his Ice Rod held high up in the air.

"Ready!" Green shouted enthusiastically, standing firmly beside Blue and grinning.

"Ready!" Vio echoed, last of them all, though his eyes narrowed and smile grinning in just as fierce determination as the others.

Blue grinned- though he was unarmed, facing the quick-approaching, colossal shadow of the skeleton-monster Gyorxok from beneath the ice as it raced towards them… He was more confident, more unafraid, more _ready_ than he had ever been before.

And when the beast once more burst through the ice, roaring as it lunged viciously upwards and over, its jaws wide open and skull pointed downwards towards them in its malevolent, fierce attack- even then, he was still unafraid, standing firm on the ice and grinning from ear to ear. Why should he be afraid? After all- mere seconds before Gyorxok _would_ have struck them- instead, a loud shout came from behind him, and as Red leapt up, flinging his Ice Rod in front of him, the chilly blast of frost magic hurtled out in front of the heroes, sealing tightly over the approaching enemy and freezing him solidly to the ground beneath, ceasing his motion inches before it would have carried it to its target.

"_NOW_!" Blue shouted, leaping forward as the others around him joined him in the rush, the four heroes lunging together and attacking as one- unarmed, yet facing the beast unafraid. And as Blue's hands closed tightly around the hilt of his sword which stuck out from the forehead of the beast's skull, so his grip was quickly joined by three others- and as the four Links each grasped their hands tightly around the sword's hilt, pushing against the ice beneath them and the monster in front of them and pulling back with all their combined might… Slowly, the sword began to jerk forward, slowly slipping out of its firmly-sealed hold… The cracks around the sword were widening… The ice freezing the motionless, yet screaming monster to the ground slowly melting…

And, in one final, powerful lunge, the Four Heroes all shouted as they were flung back, the Four Sword slicing clean out of its hold in the skull of the beast before them. And though Blue fell to the ground, gasping slightly as the wind was knocked out of him- he still grinned, the others having let go after it was pulled out, holding firmly in his hands his proud, Four Sword.

In front of them, though still frozen by Red's Ice Rod, the cracks in the center of the beast's head were growing, cracking and splintering, slicing and snaking across the entire bone surface of the skeleton monster… Though the ice was beginning to splinter off of it, from the sheer stress of the cracks in its being, its entire body was also starting to shake and quiver, unstable, breaking down…

Finally, as the cracks completely covered Gyorxok's skeletal body, its bones decorated in the hundreds of blackened slits and crevices, the being screamed out one, final time, its body finally becoming still…

And as the ice froze to its motionless body, the bones itself began to glisten in the white, transparent shine of the ice around it… until, before long, its entire body seemed to be made of the ice which surrounded it… And, in one final blast, the entire creature Gyorxok shattered- as if struck from the inside, the trillions of pieces of ice making up the once-powerful and menacing monster blasted outwards and upwards in a powerful shattering explosion, the countless, miniscule shards of ice blasting upwards into the air, then slowly falling down all around them, like a glistening, diamond rain.

There was a small silence in the calm after the storm, as the four Links slowly stood back up on the ice, looking at the empty spot in front of them where the massive, demonic fish had once leapt at them. And yet, before either of them could even say a word to one another, or crack a smile…

In the center of the ice where the monster had once leapt over, a soft trickling sound was heard as a hole was slowly, yet almost calmly, melted in the surface of the ice. No harsh cracks of slices- instead, a slow, steady melting as an even hole was parted in the ice- and, as a soft, blue light rose from beneath the hole, its glow radiating across the room and shining down luminously upon the faces, the small, delicately-carved stone surface of the Water Element rose from the depths of the water, hovering in air as it awaited its blessing upon the four heroes.

The four were silent for a moment-

Grinning, Red leaned forward, jabbing an elbow playfully into Blue's side. "Well?" he teased, sticking out his tongue. "Go get it, silly!"

Once again, Blue had hesitated- not because he didn't want his memories, however. He wanted them more than ever, and he knew, now, they were there, waiting right in front of him… Yet, slowly, he turned to look back towards the others, giving them a sad smile.

"You guys… you don't think…" He took a deep breath, calming himself and steadying his words. "I won't be… different… when I get my memories back, will I? I'll be my old self… my self right now…? Will I become the person I was… or stay who I _am_?"

Blinking in surprise, the three Links looked at one another, before returning their gazes to Blue.

Breaking into a wide grin, Green took a step forward, clasping a confident, strong hand over Blue's shoulder. "Blue, no matter who you are after you get that stone," he said with a laugh and a shake of his head, "You'll still always be our friend. No matter what."

Smirking, Vio crossed his arms. "Unfortunately," he said jokingly, his cool voice breaking into a laugh, "We're stuck with you, either way. I'm sure we'll make do with whichever Blue we end up with…" His eyes gleamed, and an honest, friendly smile came across his face. "…Don't you worry about that."

Finally, sniffing away tears and latching onto Blue's arm, Red grinned as he beamed up at their friend, "Blue is Blue! You never changed, Blue, and you never will!"

Grinning widely, Blue looked at his friends, nodding once to show his thanks. And as they each took a step back, giving their friend his room, Blue slowly turned around to face the element…

And, with the wild grin from always returning to his face, laughed as he lunged forward, shouting out triumphantly as his hand wrapped around the smooth stone, "Memories, you're _MINE_!_"_

Once more, the brilliant, blue light engulfed their friend, and, grinning and laughing, the others shielded their eyes from the intense, holy light, only lowering their hands when it had finally subsided. They blinked once or twice, grinning in suspenseful tension as they looked at Blue's turned back…

"… Blue?"

The light had faded from all around him, but it only grew brighter and brighter inside of him. The darkness in his mind had been dispersed- he could only see light now, and what had always been there, in his past, in his memories… The life he'd led, alongside his friends…

And though he had at first, and many times before, only reluctantly agreed to be called Blue, the bold and headstrong fighter of the Links grinned as he turned around, facing his friends with that unchanging, characteristic grin on his face. And as Blue laughed, he eagerly balled his hands into fists, shouting loudly and ecstatically while pumping his fist in the air, "_Oh,_ yeah, does it feel _good_ to be back!"

Bursting out into cheerful laughter, the three Links jumped up, leaping forward at their friend and surrounding him in their embrace. And though Blue smirked and grumbled, trying to push the others off in a seeming disgust for their hugs, underneath that he was so incredibly happy to be back to who he was- who he had always been, and who he would always be.

And as the four heroes were wrapped tight in their embrace, the three spoke nearly at the same time, calmly and faithfully reassuring their old friend.

"… You never left, Blue."

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><p><strong>Yes, the ending was slightly cheesy, but I had fun with it, so oh well. ^_^ <strong>

**ALRIGHT! After 36 long chapters of battling through five dungeons, crazy mine train rides and owl-flights, rupee-earning tournaments and ten intense boss-battle stages, the Four Sword Links FINALLY have their memories restored!**

**ONWARDS! To Veran and Onox- To Hyrule Castle- For Zelda and for all of Hyrule!**

**Chaaaaarrggeeee! **

**...**

**TOMORROW. ;)**

**Get ready for the next installment as our epic saga draws to a close- Chapter Thirty-Seven: _Choices_!**


	37. Choices

**With the four Links now having their restored memories, and all Four Elements, I'm sure you're all ready to go for the final stretch of the journey, right?**

**Well... **

**Don't forget, there's still one more Link to this story! ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Seven:<strong> Choices

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><p>Their laughter had long subsided and faded away into silence, yet it still lingered in the back of his mind, haunting him and eating away at him through each passing second. Though there was nothing but silence all around him, he was far from calmed or content, the inside of his mind like a battlefield as it raged with the emotions fighting against each other. His memories replayed what he had only recently just witnessed from afar- the trek of the four heroes through their final temple, overcoming the obstacles within and rising up together to defeat the terrible monster at its end. Through the terrifying and harrowing ordeals, each risking their lives for the other, the four had triumphed over the deadly challenges, defeating the evil that had cursed the temple and freeing the Water Element from its prison inside.<p>

A soft wind blew by him; his eyes nonchalantly glanced to the side as he watched the tattered, ripped flags of the towers around him lightly wave and flutter in the breeze. The wind grew strong in an instant blast, yet once more, suddenly ceased, the torn flags falling limply back against their poles. The sun was just yet falling in the sky, hovering just above the horizon and spilling out a warm, orange-red glow across the land- and as another sudden gust of wind blew past him, ruffling his clothes and blowing his hair across his face, he could feel it- there was a storm coming.

The young boy of shadows continued to stand calmly amidst the tower-tops of the castle, a hand grasped lightly around the topmost flag-pole of the tower upon which he stood, his feet resting easily across the stone roofing beneath him. And as his gaze continued outwards, over the castle and to the land around him, with the sea, forest, mountain, and clouds drifting out around him, he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from the sad, tragic beauty of the dying sun as it continued to fall beneath the horizon, its colors changing from a kaleidoscope orange-red to a dark, heavy bronze. And as the wind blew against him once more, this time in a steady, yet forceful stream, and the sun finally faded beneath the horizon, darkness finally took over the land- yet, he noticed calmly, the world had not entirely been plunged into darkness. The sun's rays still peeked just barely over the horizon from underneath it, and already the stars were beginning to alight in the sky, the moon rising from behind him and beginning its own climb in the sky, sending out its beacon of white light down upon the land.

It was strange… even though night was cast over the land as the sun fell, there was only a sense of peace as the moon began to rise in the sky, casting its own light overhead, a white beacon amidst a sea of darkness. Once more, a gale of wind blew across him, and his attentions turned to where it had blown in from- and as he recognized its direction, he understood. The storm summoned by his superiors to sink the Water Temple had been dispelled- the temple had risen, the heroes successfully escaping from it. And yet, this did not mean the storm had simply gone away- no, it had merely changed directions, and was now headed towards the castle itself. It would be some time before the raging storm reached the castle- but for now, he enjoyed the calm before the storm in the sullen, dreary wind, and the periods of no wind at all, alternating erratically and yet creating a strange sort of peace.

As his thoughts drifted to the storm and the temple, once more they were forced to think about the heroes themselves. Shadow's calmed, maroon eyes kept their gaze calmly focused on the sea ahead- he had not interfered with them, this time around. It was not his magic which summoned the storm, or created the monstrosity which they had faced at the temple's depth. And he had dared not show his face to them yet- not until they had either failed, or successfully completed this task. And as they had clearly not failed… Already, he knew what their sights were set on next. Come morning, the Four Sword heroes, their memories restored and their strength as a team regained, would make their way to the castle itself, ready to break the barrier Veran and Onox had placed on it and storm the gates. They would come, like knights in shining armor… like the sun in the morning, rising up against the darkness and chasing it away, letting the light prevail once more.

A curious thought entered Shadow's mind… if they were like the sun, what was he? The moon bringing the light in the darkness of night… or the darkness itself?

Interrupting his thoughts, however, came a calm sound from behind him- Shadow hardly needed to turn around, however, as he recognized it almost instantly, even as it approached from afar. He remained calmly standing on the tops of the roof, then, as the flapping of wings grew louder until they were right beside him- and his gaze moved not an inch as the sounds of talons landing against the stone beside him were brought to his ears.

The wise owl Kaepora stood calmly and quietly beside the boy as he landed on the tower, his wings calmly folded to his sides and his intense, yet kind yellow eyes looking out across the dark horizon. He was silent for a moment- for now, there was little he needed to say. However, as the minutes passed by, so the owl finally spoke.

"… You have been watching them." It was hardly a question, so much as a statement- and Kaepora's curious eyes calmly looked to the side at the boy of darkness who stood beside him.

Shadow was silent as he listened to the owl's words, thinking about them carefully- and then carefully choosing his own words.

"They're strong… much stronger than I ever gave them credit for." His voice was kept calm and steady, his gaze unwavering from its sights set across the land and over the sea.

"Of course," Kaepora responded smoothly with a light chuckle, joining Shadow's gaze in looking out across the sea. "They are the Four Sword Heroes, after all. In the end, they will triumph."

This statement lightly took Shadow by surprise, and he glanced to the side, his eyebrows rising curiously. "You have that much faith in them?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion. He was willing to admit their strength, too- but to go so far as saying they would definitely emerge victorious?

Again, the owl chuckled, his talons shifting beneath him as he lightly turned to look towards the boy. "I do. I have always believed in good triumphing over evil- and that belief has never wavered. The heroes will surely defeat the two foul villains of darkness- of this, I am certain."

Shadow frowned, not liking his answer. That was it? That's all he had to base such a bold statement, was simple belief in a mere concept? Angrily, he looked back over across the land. He wanted to make a smart, sarcastic remark about how baseless the idea was, or how foolish the bird was, or how he must be going senile from old age. However, biting back these comments, he instead grit his teeth as another sentence was forced past his lips.

"… And what am I, then, Kaepora?" he asked quietly, his lightly narrowed, yet confused eyes, looking over at the owl once more, surprising the bird by calling him by his name. "Evil… or good?"

There was not a single pause of silence before the owl spoke, smiling and looking out across the lands, his head tilting lightly upwards to gaze across the night sky.

"There is an old saying that I know… It goes, 'the light shines the brightest in the dark.'" He smiled, continuing. "Wherever there is light, there is brightness. However, in the darkness is where the light is the brightest of them all."

At the owl's wise words, something tugged inside of the boy's chest, and, hating the pain it brought with it, he narrowed his eyes, looking away in anger.

Another moment of silence stretched on between the two as the owl sat quietly beside the child, who still stood on the other side of the flag-pole, looking out amongst the stars and the darkened, night sky. However, as if finally coming to terms with his thoughts, Shadow closed his eyes, exhaling calmly and tilting his chin downwards.

Finally, he spoke.

"… I have a decision to make."

Though he waited a moment to respond, the owl did indeed, nodding calmly as he replied, "indeed, you do. And what is it that you will choose, young child of shadows?"

Shadow's eyes calmly opened once more- and, keeping them calmly fixed ahead, he replied in a simple voice- though strained as he did his best to keep it calm, "I have done many things. From what little memories I have… I can't deny the fact that I may once have been good- on the heroes' side, even, fighting evil and monsters of my own kind, working towards the triumph of the light. However, I have also been on the other side-" here, he looked with a frown, his narrowed, conflicted eyes casting themselves over the owl. "I've fought against the light and lent my powers to the darkness, in order to bring destruction and death."

Kaepora remained silent, listening patiently to the boy's words as he spoke, and staying quiet even after he was silent- knowing that he was not yet finished.

Frowning once more and leaning against the flag-pole with a sigh, Shadow continued, "If I'm to make a decision, I can't base it off what I've done- or who I was in my past. And yet, I can't really ignore or forget what I've done, either."

"Young child…"

Shadow blinked, looking over at Kaepora in light surprise as he spoke.

The owl's kind, yellow eyes looked over at Shadow as he continued to speak. "You are far more important than you have ever realized," he spoke calmly and quietly, though his voice more serious than the boy had ever heard it before. "You are a truly remarkable being- a creature born of the darkness, with a child's heart of the light. Your choices are your own- yet you must not forget that you hold both sides within you. And in the end, only you can decide for yourself which path it is you choose."

Shadow was well used to the owl's ramblings and 'words of wisdom', especially during their time spent together over the past few weeks when he would quote old sayings or try and give him advice. He was used to ignoring them or brushing them off, irritated by him trying to sound like a wise sage or something or another. However… how he spoke this time was far different than he had ever heard him speak before. His voice was calm and slow, stressing the importance of every word- yet also delicate and kind, like a patient, caring father. And beneath every word held a depth like he'd never seen before- a depth that told him there was much more to just the surface of what he was saying.

However, it wasn't long before the shock wore off, and Shadow looked away once again, his eyes narrowed in resentment for how the words had affected him so. He grit his teeth once more to bite back the harsh comments he wanted to say- there were other, more important things he still had to sort out, for the moment. Pushing angrily away the words Kaepora had spoken, he leaned away from the flag-pole, standing on his own as he said simply and calmly, as if the words spoken before had never been said, "I don't know how I know, or what it even means, but… something tells me the heroes and I have more in common with each other than what meets the eye." He raised an eyebrow, looking over at Kaepora expectantly.

"… You know, don't you?" Shadow quietly accused the owl, his eyes narrowing. "You know exactly who I am. And so do the heroes, too." There was a small silence- but as Kaepora started to speak, Shadow quickly interrupted him, snapping sharply, "And don't give me any bull. I want to know, so tell me."

Kaepora hesitated a moment longer- though, sighing, looked away as he gave in and spoke.

"… The hero, Link, possesses all of the qualities of the Four Sword Hero. Strength, heart, wisdom, and courage…" Kaepora's voice trailed off as he looked into the sky, though he soon continued. "His soul is bound forever to the light. In this same way…"

Shadow raised an eyebrow, curious and confused. It almost seemed to pain the owl for what he was saying… but still, after the silence, he went on.

"… Shadow Link also possesses each of these qualities… yet his soul is bound, oppositely, to the darkness, through which he was created."

Shadow Link… Somehow, that name was familiar. From what Veran and Onox had told him, "Link" was the name of the Four Sword Hero who had been split into four, nix their silly nicknames for one another. So why was his own name placed in front of the name of the hero…? His eyes widened in realization as he looked over to the owl, a sudden chill running through his chest.

"Then… I'm…" For the first time, Shadow felt himself at a loss for words as he looked over at the silent owl. Kaepora did not respond- and, as Shadow swallowed a lump in his throat, his teeth were clenched as his astonishment turned to fury.

"S-So, what are you saying?" he finally snapped, his mouth twisting into an angry snarl as he rounded on the owl. "… That my destiny's already been decided _for_ me, is that it?-!"

He understood what Kaepora meant. Though he could hardly believe it, somewhere, something in him was telling him it was true- he was one of the heroes himself, technically- a part of the hero Link- and yet, unlike the Four Heroes, here he was, a shadow, a creature of darkness- bound to that very darkness which tied his soul to the shadows. Was this what Kaepora meant, saying he was a creature of darkness with a heart of light…? Could it possibly be true? And if so, what did this mean for him and his decision…?

If he was merely a part of the hero, was he even his own person…?

Finally, Kaepora answered, looking back calmly and unafraid at the raging child.

"… Only if you decide to let it," he answered quietly, his voice kind and gentle. "Everyone has the choice… to choose their own destiny."

His eyes closing in quiet pain, Shadow looked away, his teeth clenching against the words and his hand tightening his grasp around the pole…

And as the wind blew once more, pulling Shadow away from his thoughts, his eyes slowly and calmly opened, his body relaxing as the gentle wind ruffled over him, cooling him down- and yet bringing a certain chill down his back. … He couldn't afford to waste time dwelling on this. The night was still young, but he had much preparing to do- after all... He'd made his decision. And there was much that he still needed to do.

Clenching his teeth, Shadow narrowed his eyes as he spoke quietly under his breath.

"… Leave me, bird."

Kaepora blinked in quiet surprise, still looking over at Shadow. "Leave…?"

Shadow's eyes snapped open, and, his mouth twisting into another, fierce snarl, he shot a furious glance over at the bird. "You heard me," he growled, his hands tightening into fists. "…Get out of here. I'm done with you."

At first the bird was slightly shocked- though, relaxing, he ruffled his feathers, trying to rationalize by speaking, "Oh, very well, if you need some time alone. I shall return come morning, when the heroes-"

"No, you won't."

Shadow's narrowed eyes burned through the surprised, yellow eyes of the owl as he looked fiercely down upon the bird. "I said I'm done with you. You no longer serve me any purpose- and I've got business to take care of. So get out of my sight."

Kaepora looked back at Shadow in shock and sadness. Weakly, he raised his wings, saying sadly as he did so, "I shall not be a burden to you, child. I have merely only hoped to help you-"

"I said _get out_!" Shadow roared, interrupting the bird as he full-on whirled around to face the owl, hovering above the tower itself with his fists clenched in front of him in fury, swirling wisps of shadow magic forming around his tightly balled-up hands. "I won't stand any longer to be lied to! To be swayed one way or another, or used as someone's pawn in a damned _game_!" he shouted, his anger building as the pain rose in his chest. A stinging sensation was blinding the corner of his vision, and a knot was choking his throat- but he ignored the pain, instead roaring out loud once more, "I don't need your goddamned _help_, or anyone else's! From now on, I'm doing this _alone!_"

Crying out loud, in a tortured mix of agony and rage, Shadow wasted not a second longer as he stepped forward, lashing out with his fists towards the owl. The blasts of dark magic bowed to his whim in an instant, slamming forwards at its target. However, the terrible blast of dark energy only burned to a crisp against the stone roofing of the tower, as Kaepora instantly lifted himself off his perch, his wide, massive wings beating against the air as he rose up into the sky to avoid the hit, hooting wildly as he did so. Snarling and taking another step forward, Shadow looked fiercely up at the owl, the tears now brimming in the corners of his eyes and slowly trickling down his cheeks, leaving dark trails down either side of his face.

The owl said nothing as he rose high into the sky, above the reach of the child, though looking down sadly upon him. However, before the wise bird Kaepora turned to fly quietly away, he called out one last time to the child, his voice calm and laced with sadness.

"… Whatever your choices may be, young Shadow… you shall _always_ have a friend."

And as the owl's wings beat heavily against the air around him, flying outwards into the night, his form only illuminated against the wide glow of the moon and the glistening lights of the stars… Shadow Link stood silently in the air above the towers, watching the bird fly away until he was finally out of sight.

A wide silence followed after the bird had left, leaving the boy standing alone against the tall, massive towers of the castle. And yet, in the midst of this silence, the wind blew once more- heaving upwards and over, sending the tattered and torn flags all around him into a waving frenzy, and whipping his clothes in the strong, sudden breeze. Once more, the wind knocked him out of his sullen, dark thoughts- reminding him of his limited time and of what needed to be done- what he had chosen.

Slowly, the child bowed his head, his eyes closing as his clenched fists fell to his side. This was his decision. Slowly, as his dark red eyes opened, the shadows of darkness began to grow once more around him… And, as resolve flashed across his vision, the child took a few steps backwards, into the darkness, letting it engulf him in its shadows until it had completely enveloped him, vanishing him out of sight from the world of light. And when the darkness faded, the young child of shadows was nowhere to be seen- gone, ready to finally face his decision.

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><p><strong>Shadow's saga is slowly coming to a close. What has he finally decided? Will the Links be forced to face him one final time?<strong>

**These answers and so much more in tomorrow's epic update, Chapter Thirty-Eight: _Confrontation_!**


	38. Confrontation

**It's time to get down to some business! The stage is all set, the final plans are in motion- all that's left now is to go, go, go! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Eight:<strong> Confrontation

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><p>Casting its warm, bright rays across the ground and alighting the hills in its golden light, the sun slowly began its ascent in the sky as it rose over the horizon, spilling its welcome-relief rays over the darkened woods of the night. The day had come at last- and as the Links awoke and once more prepared to move, readying themselves for the finale to their adventure ahead, the four were in high spirits, excited and ready as they had ever been. With the wind at their backs, the sun shining down upon their faces and their heading set to the tall, white peaks of the Hyrule Castle, the Four Sword Heroes, feeling nearly invincible and inseparable as a team, forged onwards.<p>

Eager and bubbling, they were quick to engross themselves in conversation, laughing and joking and overall excited to finally finish what they had started so long ago, in the depths of the prison chamber.

"I can't _wait_ to sink my sword into these Veran and Onox guys," Blue shouted, pumping his fists in the air and laughing as he ran a short distance ahead of the others. Whirling around and grinning widely, he added with a tough glint in his eyes, "And put them _back_ in their damned place!" His blood was pumping, rushing through his veins, and he was ready to get it started- back to being Blue, to the hero of the Four Sword along with his friends, he knew he was more ready than he had ever been to face the darkness and strike it down with his might, and the combined might of his friends. And even though he'd once worried over being who he was versus who he is… he was happy just knowing his friends would be there beside him, no matter what.

Amused, Vio smiled, his arms crossed as he walked alongside Green and Red. His eyebrows rose as he pointed out calmly, "I would assume that would be the Dark Realm, Blue, but yes- I'm rather looking forward to that myself. A nice reprisal for all they've put us through, don't you think?" He laughed, his spirits just as high as the others- though a certain, slightly changed aspect to his laugh. He may still be the calm, reserved and dignified wise Link of the Four Sword Heroes, but in the process of their adventure, he had learned and changed much- yet he knew, it was all for the better, and, as he walked alongside the others, he knew he had gained much more than he had even lost in the first place- and learned to appreciate it more than ever.

"If anyone's gonna get those dirt bags back for what they've done," Green responded with a bold, challenging grin of his own, "It's gonna be _me_. No one messes with Hyrule and gets away with it- not on _our_ watch!" The others grinned and laughed and teased along with Green's challenge, each clamoring eagerly overly who would be the one to fight- even though, honestly, they all knew they would work together as a team. And as Green smiled, walking slightly behind the others and looking after them all, he once more felt the pride return to his chest from their last adventure- only it surged forward, stronger and happier than before. And with that pride, came the always-vigilant feeling of responsibility- yet, he was happy to bear it, knowing he was ready to lay everything down for his land, his people… and, most dear to him, his friends.

Lastly, walking in the midst of all of the Links as he bounced around with that never-changing, bright and enthusiastic grin on his face, Red laughed as he practically danced with excitement. They were all together, reunited – they remembered each other, they were who they had been before- and yet, he noted with a grin, he knew their memories had little to do with their friendship. Through the trials they had been put through, more terrible and difficult than they had ever experienced, they had all re-learned to trust one another, rely on each other's strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. "I know I said it once before, guys," Red finally said with a giggle, jumping up in triumph, "But you know I gotta say it again- we're the _best_ team ever! Even better than we were before!" The others, grinning in response, looked over at Red as he laughed. "We'll do this!"

Once more, the Four Heroes laughed and shouted in unanimous, unison agreement and enthusiasm, gathering together as a tight group and turning as one to walk towards the castle. Their eyes, though passing over the scenery around them, remained set ahead towards their destination. Once they had escaped the Water Temple, which had risen back above the waters of the now-calmed sea, the wise owl Kaepora had appeared one final time to them, instructing them in where they needed to go next, come morning. And, taking the night's rest in Kakariko Village, the heroes had then set out, bright and early the next morning, for the final stretch of their journey- Hyrule Castle, to dispel the barrier put on it by Veran and Onox, and, with the united powers of their Four Swords, defeat the foul villains, once and for all.

However, as the four heroes continued walking forward over the hills, a short distance away from the woods with the sights of the Hyrule Castle towers just barely peaking over the tips of the trees, none of the four were yet to notice the faint, yet darkened clouds which were beginning to form behind them- not high in the sky, but much closer to the ground… Creeping along the grassy floors of the very hills beneath them, the smoky darkness began to grow as it followed the four children, growing beneath and behind them, rising up and stretching outwards…

Still hanging about briefly in the back of them all, Green's eyes were kept forward as he smiled- yet, blinking in light surprise as something caught his eyes, his gaze drifted downwards to his feet, at a shadow cast on the ground in front of him which hadn't been there before… It was slowly growing, and it had no defined shape- and, in an instant, his eyes widened as he opened his mouth to shout out, whirling around-

-And yet, not a single sound came from his voice, as the instant he had opened his mouth and turned to face the darkness which had crept upon them, the clouds of blackness had entirely engulfed him and the three heroes behind him- surrounding them in its dark, empty embrace and silencing them before they ever had a chance to cry out. The blackness sank over the four as it collapsed upon the four heroes- and yet, as it finally fell to the ground, dissolving into the floor beneath… where the Four Sword Heroes had once stood, there was only empty space, and a lingering, eerie silence.

* * *

><p>"… Ugghhnn…"<p>

Groaning under his breath as the world around him swirled upside down, Green could barely force a sound through his mouth at all, his eyes squinting and blinking weakly open as he returned to the world of consciousness. The world looked down at him from below and all sides around him- he was lying on his back, and the sun no longer shone brightly down upon him- but rather, a dull, dreary sort of grey shade was cast over where he lay, and spikey, barren branches of dead trees hooked overhead his vision.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. The others! The cloud of darkness… were they all okay? Putting a hand to his forehead and groaning once more, though gritting his teeth past the pain, the Link pushed his other hand on the ground beside him- noting it not the same grass from before, but a rough, scratchy dirt- and heaved himself up to a sit, shaking his head once and blinking his eyes open. And as soon as he did, he heaved a large sigh of relief- Red, Blue and Vio were all lying on the ground beside him, though each of them, like he, were groaning and weakly sitting themselves up as they were also starting to come to.

Swearing under his breath and rubbing the top of his head, grumbling under his breath in pain, Blue looked from side to side at the others. "What the hell was that?-!" he snapped, once more swearing loudly as he moved to stand up- looking around him as he did, though making sure to keep an eye out on the others as they got to their feet.

"I… I dunno… But at least we're all still together, right?" Red whined, giving a weak, yet hopeful smile as Green, who had stood up under his own strength, moved to help the smaller Link up. As Red stood to his feet, he lightly rubbed the side of his arm- in both a light pain from the fall and a nervous fear at their reluctant change of surroundings- as he took a few steps towards Blue, joining his friend in looking at their changed surroundings.

Taking his friend's extended hand, Vio clasped Green's hand in his own as his friend helped him up to his feet. Idly, he brushed some dust and dirt off the side of his tunic as he looked around, observing their new surroundings. Obviously, the strange dark cloud which had ambushed them behind, without a single warning, and with hardly a second's worth of time for them to react, had transported them somewhere else. No longer were they standing under the bright sun, walking overtop the grassy hills and headed towards the lush forest ahead.

Instead, the Four Links drew close together as they looked around in a creeping, grim horror at the dark and death-laced graveyard they now stood in. Hardly a speck of the sun's light was showing from any direction- dark, dreary clouds covered the sky above them, and in all directions outwards there was nothing but an endless expanse of dead, rotting trees, hardly a leaf on any branch or a blade of grass on the ground.

And, the most haunting sight of them all, were the uneven, scattered and half-broken slabs of rock which jutted out at uneven angles and intervals all around them. Stuck in the dry, rough dirt ground of the graveyard, the tombstones were long-forgotten markers- inscriptions had long been worn off, and chips had been knocked off or weathered down. It was hard to believe the scattered assortment of inconsistent, half-broken rocks had once been a resting place for lost souls- but as the four Links stood close together, each looking in all directions, nothing else seemed to point to the clear, obvious fact.

"Um… guys… I don't remember ever being in a place like this," Red finally whined, shrinking back against the others. He paused for a moment before adding, "Even _with_ our memories."

Green gave a grim smile at Red's attempt at a joke- they all had their memories back, true, yet nor could he remember such a place as what they were in. They'd all visited Hyrule Castle's graveyard once before, in respect for fallen soldiers- but this was surely not it. Not a fleck of green showed in the bits and flecks of dry grass, scattered over the cracks of the dried, uneven dirt, and the place looked like it hadn't been attended to in centuries. And as Blue and Vio also kept quiet, he knew- this was surely not a place they'd been before.

Finally, Vio sighed, gritting his teeth seriously and looking out across the graveyard, and the dead woods which surrounded it. "I'm almost certain we were brought here for a reason, Green," he stated firmly, looking over his shoulder at their leader. "I doubt we would be able to escape or leave if we tried."

"Well, what do you expect us to do, then?" Blue retorted, raising an eyebrow over at Vio. "I, for one, don't plan to just stay in this creepy place."

Green listened to both Vio and Blue's remarks consecutively, nodding as he understood what they said, yet also took both into consideration. His eyes trailed outwards once more, hoping for something out of the ordinary- yet, though everything looked the same as what was beside it, his blinked as he noticed something that would be helpful.

A few feet in front of them, the graveyard took a curve around a clump of trees- as if it were L-shaped- and he could not see beyond it. Green frowned- though finally took a calmed breath, looking at the others and saying calmly, "You're both right. We can't stay here, but I don't think we can really leave, either. We should try looking around- at first," he admitted with a shake of his head, "I thought we were going to be attacked by more monsters, again. But that doesn't seem to be the case, here, so let's keep walking and see what we find."

The three other Links nodded calmly and willingly to their leader, each of them turning to walk once more as a group through the abandoned ruins of the graveyard, headed in the direction for the turn coming up. And as the four heroes walked around the clump of dead trees through the graveyard, each of them suddenly stopped in their tracks, their eyes wide and their jaws agape at what they saw in front of them.

At the end of the graveyard where it had turned, leading up to it through a long series of rowed gravestones, stood a massive tomb- larger than any of them had ever seen. The gravestone was taller than any of them, and possibly all four of them put together, and was just as wide as it was tall, and thick as it was deep. It was made from the same, rough stone as the tombs surrounding it, and even though it had its fair share of weathering and cracks, it was in much better shape than the ones around it- and set in its center was a strange-looking symbol, a crest none of them were familiar with.

However, the impressive- if also haunting- sight of the massive gravestone was not what stopped the Links' hearts and kept their eyes wide open in shock. But rather, it was the sight of a small child sitting calmly on the edge of the tomb, his arms crossed and his legs dangling off the side, many feet above the ground. His narrowed, calm red eyes looked down at them with almost a seeming lack of emotion- and, uncrossing his arms, the child slipped forward off his perch- landing easily, without any hesitation, on the ground beneath. His black hair blew with the wind across his face, but there was still no mistaking the face of the child behind it.

"_Shadow_!"

The Four Links called out their friend's name in wide-eyed, slack-jawed shock, though smiles burst on each one of their faces as they all ran forward upon seeing the shadow standing at the end of the graveyard, in front of the tombstone before them. However, as the child remained calm and quiet, the four Links slowed down, awkwardly stopping just a few feet in front of him, with slightly worried looks on their faces as they looked at one another, before back at Shadow.

And yet, though the silence only lasted a short amount, the Four Links, their memories of their old friend resurfacing once more, instantly all bubbled out in excitement, their words spilling out eagerly like a dam had been broken.

"Shadow, jeez, we thought you were-"

"It's such a relief to see you, I-"

"You don't know how worried we've-"

"What are you doing here, it's-"

However, as excited as they all were, with the words bursting out of their mouths, all of sudden they were each silenced, their eyes widening in surprise as a single, quiet motion was brought before them.

Shadow kept his head raised quietly for a moment in front of them, a quiet, contemplating frown across his face as he silenced the four from speaking any more. Finally, when they had all fallen silent, staring at him expectantly, the boy frowned once more, his eyes narrowing as he let his hand fall down.

There was another long, stretched silence between them- before the dark child of shadows finally spoke.

"… I see you Four Heroes are still determined to storm the castle and save Hyrule, aren't you?" His voice was calm and calculated, cool and practically emotionless, his gaze just the same as he looked over at the four.

… They had all been afraid of this. They'd talked it over before, wondering what had happened to Shadow to turn him against them- yet it had become clear to all of them, through his hatred and his desire to kill them ever since they had first seen each other in the prison dungeons, that he did not remember them, who they were, or their past adventures together. Though it was a mystery to them why Shadow had been cursed as well as them, it had only gone to follow that their friend had once again been twisted by the dark powers of the villains, and as each of them looked sadly upon him, they all saw their friend beneath those tortured, darkened red eyes- though none of them knew what they needed to do.

However, upon being spoken to, they all looked at one another, slightly uneasy, before nodding in silent agreement and looking back at Shadow.

"… We are," Green finally answered firmly, frowning and looking at Shadow with a concerned, yet calm and determined look on his face.

Shadow's eyes, in turn, looked over the four heroes as they returned their gaze back to him. … He knew. They remembered everything. They possibly even knew as much as the owl had- who he was, that he was as much a Link as they were. However, his mind had already been made up- there was no more room for questioning himself, or wondering what he needed to do. Upon Green's answer, his face hardened, and his eyes narrowed as he replied curtly, "Then I'm afraid… I'll have to stop you. Whatever past we may have had together… You'll all come to see, that has changed." He uncrossed his arms, looking at each of them in turn, as a dark swirl of blackened magic began to form around his fists…

"Shadow…" Green grit his teeth as he spoke, trying to keep the sorrow out of it, though failing terribly. His eyes were narrowed, yet also wide in grief as he looked over at their friend. Was this truly the decision he made? Was he even aware of the person he had once been, the choices he had made in his past?

"Don't you remember us? At all?" Red spoke up, his voice rising in desperation and sorrow as he took a step forward. The others around him looked at him in worry as he approached Shadow- but as for himself, he was unafraid. He knew Shadow would not hurt him- not Shadow, not their friend. Not the one who had twice given his life so that they may live. Tears were brimming at his eyes as he firmly spoke again, bold and yet pleading, "And even if you don't, won't you give us a chance to tell you?"

Blue blinked- though suddenly and quickly took a step forward as well, his enthusiasm once more roaring back to life. "Y-Yeah! What Red said!" he shouted boldly, his eyes wide and forceful as he looked over at Shadow. "At least let us tell you, then! You were once our _friend_, Shadow," he growled, gritting his teeth and his hands forming into determined fists, "and even if you aren't now, don't you think you should listen to what we have to say, first?"

Though he had at first been surprised, Green, upon listening to his two friends speak up, felt his own courage rising within him, and he gave a forceful nod, taking a step forward to stand near his friends. "Please, Shadow," he pleaded with the other- though his words were forceful and compelling, his eyes wide and imperative. "If you don't remember, then let us tell you- tell you all that we've been through together. What we've all done for each other…"

As his voice faded, however, a fourth and final voice quickly spoke up, and Green looked to the side with a triumphant, rejuvenated smile as Vio took his step along with the others, looking up and speaking calmly and quietly up at Shadow. "We have no reason to lie to you, Shadow… If you choose to believe us or not, then that is your choice. But you can make no decision if you do not let us try." As he spoke, keeping his voice calm, he did his best to hide the choking in his throat- covering it well with the honest, strained sounds of his pained voice.

Shadow was quiet as he listened to each of them speak. And when they had all finished, the four heroes blinked in surprise to see the wisps of shadow magic dispelling from his fists. And, surprising them all even further, a small smirk crept along the edges of his face, and he leaned back easily against the tombstone behind him, crossing his arms. Strange… He'd known they would do this. How did he know this? It was honestly just a guess, but a correct one, nonetheless. And it was precisely what he had wanted.

"… Fine."

The Links blinked in surprise, looking at one another, incredulous, wondering if they'd heard him correctly.

Shadow smirked, uncrossing an arm and pointing it lazily at the heroes. "… Tell me, then." His face grew serious, however, and he frowned as he said, "Make it short, but leave nothing out. I'll hear you out… and make my decision from there."

Green nodded. "That's all we ask," he said firmly and assuredly, though already his determination was readied and focused- knowing, above all, they had to convince Shadow of what was true. Like Vio had said- he may or may not believe them in the end, but they had to at least try.

And so it followed, for the next hour or so, that the four heroes relayed in detail to Shadow their past adventures. The first, when they had first been split and turned against one another- though they were all a bit shaky to explain this at first, when it came time for Shadow's time in the spotlight, they all talked eagerly and excitedly how it had been Shadow who was the one to have saved them all. By destroying the Dark Mirror, he had made Vaati, the Dark Wind Mage, no longer invincible- and the Four Heroes had been able to defeat him, without him coming back. They grew morose when talking about Shadow's death… Quiet and sad when they all spoke, remembering what it had been like when Shadow explained to them why he had done what he did, then fading away into the light.

Through it all, Shadow had been silent. He spoke not a single word as the heroes talked- but as his eyes rose and fell in surprise with every so often story, the others could tell, he was listening. Did he even believe them…? They could only hope, as they went on to talk about their second adventure together.

Shadow, however, couldn't help but frown as this tale was much shorter. The Four of them had gone on a magnificent quest and series of adventures, yes, but after having been revived by the evil, dark Lord Ganondorf, he had been imprisoned, chained up as a traitor in the Dark Realm. And yet, despite this, the others insisted, he remained good- defying Ganondorf until the very end. When Zelda was imprisoned there as well, he had risked everything to save her. When the Links made their way into the Dark Realm in hopes of finding Ganondorf, he had helped them by working with them to defeat the Shadow Darknut. And lastly, when the twin witches, Ganondorf's loyal servants, Twinrova had ambushed them… Possessed him… Even then he had fought against the dark influence, staying true to the light and eventually giving his life so that Twinrova would be vanquished.

And when the heroes' tale ended, even they could think of no explanation for why their friend was alive and standing before them. Though he had indeed assured them when they'd left he would live, they each somehow knew that he did not make it.

And yet, as the four finally fell silent, their silence was only reciprocated by the silence of the fifth- Shadow's gaze had fallen elsewhere, into the rotting forest of dead trees around them, as he fell deep in thought. His brow was furrowed, as if concentrating on something, yet he was also frowning, refusing to speak.

The child of shadow closed his eyes. He had hoped… He had hoped it would happen, but it had not. Through the past temples, upon appearing to the heroes, they had spoken to him, and he had been gifted with a single memory of his past. So it would only go to follow, he'd thought, that by having them speak to him longer, it would trigger more of his memories to come- perhaps even restore all of them. And yet… nothing. Not a glimpse, nor a glimmer of light shining inside his mind… As black and enigmatic as it had ever been.

… Could he still believe them?

… It seemed to him he had yet another decision to make.

"Shadow?"

The child once more opened his eyes as he was stirred from his silence, and glanced over idly at the one who had spoken. Red, his eyes wide in worry and sorrow, took another tentative step forward. "You… you still don't remember us, do you?" he whined, his face crestfallen.

However, soon after Red had spoken, a small smirk came to Shadow's face. He was not yet out of ideas. Was he entirely convinced by their story? … No. The fact that his memories hadn't been sparked by their tales only told him that they were lies- despite that some of those moments had indeed lined up with the memories he'd received. For the moment, he was still dubious. However, he still could not push aside that strange feeling in the center of his chest… And so made his next decision.

"… No. However, I have a proposition for you four, if you care to hear it," Shadow said, a devilish grin playing across his face.

Nervously, the four heroes looked at one another- though, nodding, looked back at Shadow, giving him their response in a silent nod.

"I'll let you pass, unopposed, to the castle," Shadow explained, leaning back against the tombstone once more and crossing his arms with a smirk, "If you accept my challenge. Hell, I won't even try and stop you, if you succeed." His grin widened, and he lazily extended an open hand.

"… Do we have a deal?"

The Four heroes, surprised by the sudden proposition, looked at one another in quiet confusion.

However, giving a quiet nod, Green looked at each of them before gazing back at Shadow. "… If we succeed, will you go with us?" he asked calmly, yet his voice serious.

Shadow blinked in surprise- that, he was not expecting. However, he merely shrugged in response, giving nothing else.

Blue frowned, looking over at Green. "I think we should do it, Green," he said, giving a firm, confident nod. "We've been able to beat everything else these guys have thrown at us, this shouldn't be any different. And if it may even help Shadow…"

As his voice trailed off, like before, it was joined by another. "It's possible it may even help restore his memory," Vio added, nodding in agreement to what Blue had said. "I, too, am for this plan."

"Guys, I really don't want to have to fight Shadow, he's our friend- even if he doesn't remember it, we still do," Red whined, looking sadly over at Shadow before glancing back at the others. "If taking this challenge means we won't have to, then… then I think we should do it, too."

Finally, Green gave a nod to each of them, then looking back up at Shadow. He took a calm, deep breath, then a step forward as he spoke, "We'll do it, Shadow. It's a deal."

The fanged grin on Shadow's face widened.

"… Wonderful. Which one of you first, then?"

The Four Links looked at each other, blinking in surprise.

Shadow laughed. "Oh, this won't be one you can all face together," he said easily, smirking and once more leaning against the tombstone. "You Four have had the benefit of fighting together your entire adventure. This time, you'll have to do something on your own."

"… I'll go."

The three Links blinked in surprise, opening their mouths to say something in protest- but were quickly silenced by Green's smile and his easy-going laugh. "Sorry guys, but I've got dibs on this one," he joked with a grin. His smile softening, he then turned to look towards Shadow, sighing under his breath, "And, if anything goes wrong, the rest of you can still get away." He glanced over at Vio, his eyes narrowing. "So, if something _does_ go wrong… Make sure you and the others get out- even if you have to leave me behind. Alright?"

Vio bit his lip, saying nothing- but reluctantly nodded. Blue grumbled and snarled furiously under his breath, and Red gave Green an encouraging nod and smile- and, turning towards Shadow, Green stepped forward, until he stood alone in the center between the two.

In the silence that stretched on, Green gave a grim smile, nodding once to show he was ready.

Shadow grinned, raising his hands, engulfed in the twisting clouds of shadow magic, upwards in front of him.

"… Let us… _begin_."

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><p><strong>With the appearance of Shadow blocking the Links' way to the castle, it seems there's only going to be one way through- to defeat whatever "challenge" Shadow has in store for them.<strong>

**What will this challenge be? Will the heroes be able to triumph over it? And will Shadow's memory finally be restored?**

**Well, you won't learn the answers to those questions just by reading this! :P**

**So get ready for tomorrow's epic installment in the Links' journey, Chapter Thirty-Nine: _Opposition!_**


	39. Opposition

**It's time for the heroes to ready themselves for Shadow's challenge! **

**Get ready, 'cause I'm gettin' straight to the action, here! ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Nine:<strong> Opposition

* * *

><p>The calm, quiet tranquility of the eerie graveyard was suddenly and instantly shattered- for mere seconds after Shadow had spoken, with the fanged, mischievous grin growing on his face, the boy of shadows had taken a step back- and, throwing up his hands in front of him, had sent a massive, powerful blast of twisting, pulsing dark energy bursting from his fists. The three Links standing behind shouted out, their eyes widening in a heartbeat as they saw the blast of magic hit their friend who stood in front of them, the darkness practically sinking into him and forcing him to his knees, yelling out in pain as he hunched over, his shaky hands gripping the ground beneath him as the wave of darkness shot through him, blasting in and all around him.<p>

"SHADOW! What the hell?-!" Blue roared in fury as he leapt up, the others quickly following him as the three ran towards their fallen friend- yet, each of them gasped, stumbling backwards and wincing in pain as they were suddenly stopped by an invisible force, knocking them backwards and to the ground. As Blue's eyes wearily opened, his twisted mouth still snarling in rage, he could just faintly see the outline of a red-glowing wall situated in front of them, wrapping in a large, wide circle around the fallen Green.

As Vio and Red moved to help Blue up, the three of them could only look with wide, helpless eyes at their friend, in the center of the enclosed wall, as he struggled against the darkness which had enveloped and delved deep inside of him.

Sweat was shivering down his neck… his fingers were twitching in pain, and his eyes were shut as he gasped for breath, every muscle in his body fighting this strange darkness which had suddenly shot itself into his very being. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before… It was incredibly painful, a terrifying sensation as he'd never experienced before, yet as the darkness had plunged deep inside him, images were flashing through his mind, words screaming themselves aloud before his eyes…

… _A large, ghostly Poe, a lantern hanging from one claw and a saber from the other, screeching as it dove in to the lonely child for the kill…_

_ Watching as his friend fell from the sky, landing harshly on the ground as the cloud of darkness rose above him to challenge them all…_

_ … The door as it began to close, finding himself tumbling out of it as it slammed shut heavily and suddenly behind him…_

_ Their absence behind him, the emptiness he felt as the lever refused to budge, the rust preventing him from opening the door…_

Tormenting him with thoughts of his failures and of his despair-ridden sorrows, the memories of those terrible times, when those most dear to him paid the consequences of his mistakes, rising to the surface… His mind and thoughts were in turmoil, and he cried out once more, unable to take the pain any longer as the darkness which had sank all around him and inside of him brought up the most painful, terrible memories in his mind, bringing them to the surface and pushing them before his eyes…

And yet, as if a sudden pressure had just been released, Green cried aloud as he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, suddenly released from the pain and the absence of the darkness in one swift, unexpected second. It was gone… but as he lay on the dry dirt floor of the graveyard, his chest heaving and his eyes wearily opening, what he saw before him told him that this had only just begun.

The cloud of darkness which had leapt inside his body, dragging forth all his sorrow, guilt, and despair, had finally unlatched itself from his soul, swirling in front of him- and yet, it was even darker than before, pitch-black and with no light shining through it. And slowly, as Green pushed his hands beneath him, gritting his teeth past the pain and moving to a stand, he watched in growing horror as the darkness before him began to take shape…

And when it had finally cemented in its new form, Green's eyes widened in horror, and he took a shaky, unbelieving step backwards.

Standing before him… was himself.

The pointed hat, the cast-over bangs… the tunic and boots, and the sword and shield held tightly in the boy's grasp… Standing before Green was an almost exact, doppelganger clone of himself- though his entire body was blackened in the clouds of darkness from which it had been formed, and his eyes glowed a dark, bloody red, soulless and empty. Taking a step forward, the dark clone of the young leader of the Links raised his sword, tightening his grip on his shield and set his piercing, emotionless gaze across his enemy. No words came out of his mouth- but Dark Green needed to say nothing else as he leapt forward, his mouth opening as if to shout yet no vocals escaping his throat, slashing his blackened Four Sword forwards at Green.

Hardly able to get over the shock and horror of the new sight of his own reflection which stared in front of him, Green could only cry out in sudden surprise as he leapt backwards, just in time to throw up his shield and deflect the other's slice before it had a chance to hit him full-on. Taking a few cautionary steps back and unsheathing his sword, Green calmed himself down as he sized up his enemy, who was slowly beginning to approach him once more. Quickly, he looked from side to side to analyze his arena in which he had been forced to fight: it was wide and round, and through its dull, translucent-red glow, he could see behind him his three friends looking at him in shock and worry, and in front of him, standing silently and calmly on the other side of the wall, stood Shadow.

Green grit his teeth, looking up at Dark Green as he continued to advance. "So, is this your 'challenge,' then?" he shouted out loudly towards Shadow, his composure quickly regained and his sword and shield raised as he prepared to fight.

Shadow merely smiled, crossing his arms and leaning back against the tombstone. "We all have our inner demons," he replied with a simple smirk. "Let's see how well you know them."

"That bastard…" Blue snarled beneath his breath, his eyes slits and his knuckles white as his fists were clenched together. Stepping forward as close to the invisible wall as he could, he shouted out towards their leader, "Kill it, Green! Take it down!"

"We're right behind you, Green!" Red shouted out as best he could, his eyes still wide in fear yet forcing an encouraging smile onto his face. "We know you can do it!"

"Careful, Green," Vio shouted out lastly, also taking a step forward, his eyes narrowed in careful concentration and focus. The darkness that had swallowed Green and formed of his own fears and sorrows… And in its attack, he had noticed how it had seemed to move almost just like their leader. There was no doubt. "It has all of your moves!" Vio called out again, gritting his teeth. "It knows what you know!"

Green looked back over his shoulder after his friends had finished calling at him, and set his gaze on the calmly, quietly approaching Dark Green. Green's face formed into a grim smirk, his hands gripping tightly across the hilt of his sword. "It knows what I know, huh?" he muttered dryly under his breath, his eyes narrowed in fierce concentration. He knew why… For some reason, he felt… tied, to this enemy. And that reason was clear to him- it had been created of his own despair and memories of loss and failure. He'd had to defeat these own feelings and thoughts when he had first experienced them… but now, here they were, materialized before him and raising a sword against his own.

With no more time to think or speak, Green raised his sword, twirling it once in his hand as he prepared for the other's advance. He had to defeat this enemy- for the other's sake… and for his own.

Once more, Dark Green shouted out as his narrowed, blood-red eyes set their sights upon Green, leaping forward and slicing downwards in a quick Jump Attack. Lunging forward with his own shield, Green easily conquered the move by thrusting his shield in front of him, deflecting and bouncing back the sword's attack, and using the momentum and the second of his enemy's deflected attack to his advantage. Quickly rolling to the side, Green tucked his blade under him as he dodged off to his enemy's side, leaping up and swinging his own sword in return at the enemy-

And yet, gasping, Green felt himself stumbling backwards, forced to take a few steps backwards as the enemy's shield suddenly ricocheted off his own blade, as Dark Green had whirled around, quick and nimble on his feet, lunging back with his own sword to deflect Green's attack. Both enemies lightly gasping for breath, the two took another step back as they rounded each other, their eyes narrowed and focused as they concentrated on their next attack.

Vio was right… This dark copy of himself knew all of his moves, fought just as he did. He would've done the same thing if he had been attacked from the side- and now they were back to square one, studying each other carefully and waiting for the first to make a move. How in the world was he supposed to beat a clone of himself, who would counter like he would and attack in his own fashion…?

Dark Green had not yet made a move. His blank, soulless red eyes continued to stare back at Green, awaiting his own attack with his sword and shield ready. He was just like Green… In a fight, Green knew wisely that sometimes counter-attacking was better than attacking, by letting your enemy charge into the fray and use their own forwardness against them. Green knew, looking back with firm, focused blue eyes at his opponent, that he would not be able to defeat this enemy as he was. He would have to improvise- make it up as he went along- something he never considered doing in a real fight, knowing how dangerous it could turn out if you didn't plan the moves you made. But this improvisation was all he had- and he had to use it.

Gritting his teeth, and forcing his normal attack pattern aside, Green shouted out as he lunged forwards, swinging his sword in a vertical slice in the first move. And, just as he thought, Dark Green quickly and sharply leapt backwards, swiping his shield downwards and lashing out with his sword, quickly moving on his feet and leaping forward in the second in which Green's attack was completed, hoping to use the second of hesitation to his advantage-

And yet, throwing something new he had never thought about doing, Green instantly jumped forward once more, rolling quickly in front of him, past his opponent, passing him by mere inches as he then leapt upwards, turning around and slicing upwards with his sword from behind. It was a risky move- he'd leapt right into the strike radius of his enemy's strike- but he knew he would never make a move like that, or be prepared for someone to strike like that. It was all he could think of in the desperate moment- but, as he stood up and shouted aloud, swinging his sword at Dark Green's back, he knew it had succeeded.

Dark Green's strike had met only empty air in front of him, and, with no time to leap away from Green's strike, the Four Sword sunk deep into the darkness of his being, and, with a voice finally escaping from his mouth, cried out in pain as he fell forward onto his knees, his sword and shield dropping from his hands. Green's sword had sliced clean through his being- showing his physical form, yet make-up of pure black magic. However, the attack had seemed to be enough- the pure, holy blade of the Four Sword had cleaved a clean, glowing gash in Dark Green's back, and as the blackened doppelganger collapsed fully onto the ground, motionless, the light from the wound slowly began to creep across the rest of his body…

Until, with the shadow being nothing more than an outline of light, and giving one last, agonizing and tortured scream, Dark Green vanished under the blast of light which radiated out from his form, the light dissipating in glistening flashes of brightness, fading away until there was nothing left where his opponent had once lain.

And as Green watched his shadow clone disappear into the light, a strange wave of emotions washed over him- both a triumphant sense of victory, and a sullen sense of sorrow and loss. He had defeated this dark replica of himself, manifested of his own feelings and senses from memories past- and though the being itself was gone, he knew those feelings and memories would always be there. However, like the enemy over which he had triumphed, though it was not truly gone, it had indeed been vanquished, conquered- and, in this thought, a feeling of accomplishment came over him, and he let a small smile cross his face as he calmly and quietly sheathed his sword.

From behind him, cheers and shouts echoed out from his friends as they jumped and yelled in excitement, grinning from ear to ear and cheering on their victorious friend. Green looked over his shoulder, smiling at them, yet blinked in surprise as he watched the transparent-red wall separating them disappear- and, the others, quick to notice the faded wall as well, grinned as they ran towards their friend, crowding him and eagerly congratulating Green on his victory.

However, as their voices soon quieted, Green looked over to where Shadow had been watching the fight. He still rested easily against the ominous, towering gravestone, his arms crossed and an unimpressed, calm look to his eyes.

That look soon changed, however, as the devilish smirk from before played out across his mouth, and he grinned. "… Who's next?" he asked with a dry laugh.

Blue's anger had been rising and rising, his fists clenched tighter by the second, and he stepped forward boldly, snarling as he snapped, "What is this, a game to you? Y'know, Shadow, even before you lost your memory, you weren't this much of a jerk." The others looked at Blue in quiet surprise as the sound of metal against metal ringed out over the graveyard, Blue's Four Sword drawn from its sheath and held out boldly in front of him.

"… But still," Blue grumbled under his breath, muttering angrily as he stared down Shadow, "You _were_ our friend. There's good inside you, I know- even if it's deep behind that darkness… And I _won't_ forget what you did for us. So if this is what it takes for us to get you back…" He grinned as he took a step forward, twirling his sword once in his hands. "Then I'm in."

"Blue," Green muttered quietly under his breath, his narrowed, concerned eyes looking sideways at his friend. Blue quickly looked over at their leader, his eyes still narrowed in fierce, unwavering determination. Thoughts of when the dark version of itself had been created, formed of the most terrible memories of his past and the greatest sorrows of the failures he only wished to forget… reliving the mental pain had been nearly as agonizing as the fight itself. Green sighed, shaking his head. "… Just, be careful, alright?" he finally said, trying to give a small smile.

Blue blinked in light surprise. He was not afraid of this challenge- and Green knew as well as he did that Blue was possibly the strongest of them all, bold and unafraid of anything which stood in his way. Yet he still felt compelled enough to caution his friend… Was it truly that terrible of a fight? Perhaps Green knew more of it than he did, having experienced it himself… However, unfazed, and still undeterred from his decision, Blue narrowed his eyes once more as he turned to look towards Shadow, taking another step forward.

Shadow, for his part, had remained oddly quiet when Blue had spoken to him. Strange… they thought by completing this task, it would _help_ him? Were they so willing to put themselves in danger for his sake? From what he'd heard from them, twice so far in their previous adventures, it had been the other way around- he'd given his own life to save them. Had they once sacrificed anything for him? And yet here they were, ready to fight- hoping that it might restore their friend's lost memories. Or yet, were they merely just doing this in order to continue on, unhindered, with their own journey? Once more the hated pain came to his chest and he snarled quietly, pushing the thoughts quickly away.

Giving one last nod of encouragement to their friend, Green, Vio and Red took a few steps backwards, giving room for the arena they knew would once more appear. A determined scowl on his face, Blue held his sword at the ready, awaiting Shadow's command. Looking up from his own thoughts, Shadow merely said nothing- but calmly, still resting against the side of the tombstone, raised his hand in front of him, the darkness once more bursting from his fingertips and swirling around his fist…

And in an instant, like before yet with hardly a moment's worth to prepare himself, the blackness burst out from Shadow's grasp, breaking off from its master as it hurtled through the short distance in the air, slamming into Blue's form and sinking into his very being. Gasping in sudden pain, Blue fell down to his knees, his eyes wide and his muscles straining in an instantaneous, agonizing wave of pain. Though he had mentally and physically prepared himself to be attacked, as he had seen happen to Green… this was nothing, nothing like he could have ever expected or prepared himself for.

It was… eating away at him from the inside… forcing himself to fall to the ground, taking control of his muscles and sending shoots of pain all throughout his body… Though he fought, with all his might both mentally and physically, there was no resisting the dark magic as it seeped into his body and mind… and, still gasping, Blue could only shut his eyes in the horrible wave of pain- though he could not shut away his mind from the dark, terrible images which were being dragged forward and shown painfully before his thoughts.

_… The terrifying hammer swinging through the air, burying itself in the small child and sending his limp body flying over the snow, landing motionlessly against the ice and the rock…_

_ A growing shadow of the monster as it hovered over his two friends, towering over their two, defenseless forms and raising its weapon for the final blow…_

_ … The eyes of his once calm and happy friend, glazed over in a pale white as he raised his own weapon against him…_

_ All three of them as they stood silently opposed to him, the sparks of agonizing electricity flying over their forms and forcing them forwards…_

All the pain and agony of his friends, seeing them in danger and powerless to help, having failed to come to their aid and instead only able to watch as they each suffered… Though he shouted aloud in his mind, fighting against the terrible powers with all his might, it was not enough to stop the memories from forced before his eyes, the darkness wallowing in the pleasure of his pain, absorbing all of the painful fears and sorrows of the strong, Blue Link, swirling about viciously and angrily within him…

Finally, when it could drain no more of his pain from his body, the blackness forcibly and quickly separated from him, leaving Blue gasping as he collapsed weakly on the ground, his muscles no longer commanded to keep him up by the darkness which had invaded his body. However, gritting his teeth past the pain and forcing his eyes open, ignoring the pain and quickly shoving it aside, Blue looked up in fury and anger as the dark shadow which had left his body began to take shape… He knew he had little time. Gasping and quickly getting to his feet, taking out his sword and a few steps back, Blue watched with a growing fear and hate, his eyes narrowed in fury, as the blackness began to form the all-to-familiar shape in front of him.

And yet, almost as soon as that familiar form had finalized into shape, forming the mirrored image of the boy who stood before him, the newly formed creature of darkness raised his sword, high and proud, before him. Those soulless, bloody eyes stared back at Blue unfeeling and knowing no remorse- and, without wasting a second longer of his time, quick to leap into the fray and lash out with his powerful sword, Dark Blue lunged forwards, both hands gripped tightly on the hilt of his sword as he rushed his opponent, slicing his blade in a quick and fierce side strike.

The pain from the monstrosity's creation had not entirely yet faded from Blue's body as his darkened counterpart attacked- but that was all fine with him. He grit his teeth, his fists tightening around the hilt of his sword. He would simply use his pain to make him _stronger_. And as Dark Blue ran forward, slicing his blade out horizontally towards the hero, so Blue cried out as he ran forward as well, meeting the enemy in the middle by striking his blade vertically down upon his enemy's, the two silver blades, one a glistening white and the other a deep, empty black, rang out sharply and loudly as they clashed against one another.

Light and shadow pushed against one another as each held tightly onto their blade, their feet planted firmly on the ground before them and neither yielding an inch to the other. Their swords hung in the air as they pressed against each other, neither gaining the upper hand as each side fought with equal strength to push the other down. Sweat was beading down Blue's forehead, his teeth sharply ground together and his breath coming in short, quick gasps. They were matched in strength, this was obvious- but what put him at a disadvantage was his mortal stamina. He was getting tired, his muscles were aching, he could not hold the blade forever… yet the dark clone of himself, made only of shadows and dark magic, did not waver from its hold, ready to keep it up for hours if it had to.

Finally, as many agonizing and tormenting minutes passed, Blue finally shouted out as he was forced to swing his blade to the side, taking a bold step forward and forcing an extra burst of strength against his sword. It had the desired effect- by pushing his own sword against the sword of his enemy and slicing down to the side, his opponent's weapon was deflected to the side- giving Blue a split second's worth to leap to the side, freed of the sword-on-sword hold. However, a split-second was all that was given as Dark Blue leapt forward quickly after the hold was broken, slicing out in a vertical slice- and yet, that split-second was all that was needed, Blue quickly and deftly evading the strike by leaping backwards.

And yet, though Blue had hoped to evade the attack to give himself a second or two to think, even this was not given to him- though his evade was successful, as soon as Dark Blue's attack had been deflected and his secondary attack missed, the dark doppelganger screamed a wordless, silent battle cry as it leapt forward, engaging Blue once more in a powerful Jump Strike, giving not a second's worth for him to rest or think. He was Blue, after all- and as Blue snarled in rage, leaping backwards and slicing back with his own blade, he knew- this enemy would not let him rest. In battle, he was relentless, unafraid, and stubborn- and while those traits often worked well for him, making him an opponent to be truly feared, now they had been turned against the young hero himself.

From behind him, he could faintly hear the shouts of his friends as they yelled out encouragement to their friend fighting his own battle. The two warriors parried and swung their swords once more, each perfectly matching the other in ferocity, determination, and strength, lunging upwards and leaping to the side, rolling backwards only to change their footing and slice upwards in another powerful attack. But as each blade was met with the other's, not a single blow had been made, and finally, once more completing a move to gain some momentum and distance between the two, Blue gasped for breath as he leapt backwards, a few precious seconds offered to him as Dark Blue stumbled, a few steps away from his enemy.

Thoughts raced through Blue's mind in those few seconds. He could not keep this up forever. He was facing an equal version of himself- and perhaps an even better version, as this one did not tire. Sooner or later he'd become worn down and make a mistake- and Dark Blue, with hardly a sweat broken, would take that chance and end the fight. He knew he would… So what wouldn't he do? What had he always been too stubborn to resort to in battle, never thinking to use it in the heat of battle when he charged in, headstrong and unafraid?

His few seconds were up- though in his mind they had lasted for hours as he spoke, when he muscles screamed out as he raised his blade, he felt the few seconds as they had lasted- short, and insufficient. Once more, Dark Blue was upon him, screaming silently with his wide open mouth and narrowed, red slits of eyes, slicing his sword downwards and relentlessly advancing upon the other. However, Blue was not Blue for nothing- and, grinning, easily side-stepped the first hit, rising his blade and swinging it against the other's sword, the two blades meeting almost constantly in mid-air, sparks flying from the two metals as they constantly scraped against the other.

Finally, leaping back to give him a short second of opening, Blue grinned, his eyes flashing in sudden realization. He'd always had a teacher- even if he'd never learned. This clone of him had not learned- and this was how he would defeat it. And as Dark Blue once more raised his sword, gripped tightly in both hands and swung fiercely out in front of him… Blue laughed out loud as he leapt backwards, a hand released from the grip of his sword- and, darting behind his back, came up with the sturdy, glistening shield from behind.

Dark Blue's slice rang sharply against Blue's shield, leaving a small, thin groove in the metal. The red, glowing eyes of the dark creature widened in surprise- and, laughing in triumph, taking the second to his advantage, Blue lunged forward, leaping back into the fray- though this time, his sword trailing behind him in one hand, and his shield held out firmly in the other. He'd seen the move done once before by a friend- and he probably still had the bump to prove it- yet it was only now that he had finally learned from it.

The harsh, dull sound of his shield slamming into Dark Blue's chest struck out in front of him, and, stumbling backwards, Dark Blue had a second's worth of vulnerability- which Blue was more than happy to take for himself. Shouting and raising his sword, Blue held his shield for the side as he thrust forward with his blade, slicing it ferociously against his opponent.

However… Dark Blue's eyes flashed, and it leapt backwards- though not without crying in pain, its voice finally bursting forth out of its mouth, as its free arm clutched its opposite shoulder, the dark creature hissing in pain. Blue's sword had scored a vital hit across his shoulder, cleaving a small sliver of light in the dark being. For a moment, the Link was triumphant- would this end the fight? And yet, his answer became clear to him in seconds, as Dark Blue, hissing and snarling, growling like an animal, leapt forward once more, headstrong and stubborn, ignoring its mortal wound and instead once more slicing out fiercely with his blade.

Though he had been momentarily surprised by the other's lack of defeat, Blue quickly took it in stride, lifting his shield above him and blocking the incoming attack. Under his breath, he laughed bitterly- of course, it was _him_, after all, why did he think he was going to go down so easy? He'd have to make his final strike _count_- or Dark Blue would simply ignore smaller wounds and keep coming at him.

Once more deflecting the enemy's incoming attack with his shield, Blue shouted as he rolled quickly to the side, once more slicing out with his blade. He could feel the resistance pulling against its slice as the tip scored another mark across Dark Blue's side, and hear the screams of agony coming from his darkened clone. Obviously, it felt pain- though it did not tire, the blows were doing something to it, and for what he was planning, he needed it to be weakened enough so he would be able to land the final blow. And so Blue kept up this process- deflecting a blow, rolling to the side, and stabbing back with his own attack.

Dark Blue was becoming littered with glowing gashes, though at each turn, he continued to fight, not tiring, its stubbornness and ferocity in battle keeping it attacking at every second. However, in the split-second when it began to show its weakness- stumbling as it turned to make another strike- Blue grinned, his eyes flashing as he made his move.

Shouting aloud and racing into the fray, Blue harshly shoved his shield in front of him, ramming the dark creation with the blunt side of his shield and sending the shadow falling to the ground. It hesitated- and this was Blue's moment. For, without wasting a single second of his own, risking everything by throwing his shield aside and grasping both hands on the hilt of his sword, Blue leapt forward, shouting out, his Four Sword glistening high in the air…

And, as he landed, brought it fiercely and suddenly down, plunging it wordlessly into the chest of his enemy.

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><p><strong>Yay, cliffhangers! :D<strong>

**Shadow's challenge has been revealed- the Four Heroes much each come face-to-face against the darkness of their own 'inner demons', and as Green has triumphed over his, it now falls on Blue to defeat his dark counterpart. **

**Will Blue be able to defeat this shadow doppelganger? How will Red and Vio face against their subsequent challenges?**

**Find out in tomorrow's chapter, Chapter Forty: _Defiance_!**


	40. Defiance

**Hello peoples, sorry again for the day delay. P: At the moment, I'm getting ready to move back into my college apartment this upcoming week, so things will be a bit hectic for me. I'll still do my best to bring daily updates- but if worst comes to worst, please understand that some chapters may need a day's worth delay. Hope you all can understand. :) **

**Anyways, on to the fight!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty:<strong> Defiance

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><p>Blue's Four Sword made a sickening, slicing sound as it sunk deep within the chest of his enemy, its wielder landing sharply on the ground overtop his opponent and looking down with fierce, determined eyes. The second his holy blade had plunged through the center of the darkened clone of himself, the soulless, red eyes of the creature instantly widened, its mouth parting in a sudden, gasping cry. And yet, as if it were trying to shout out, the blackened creature choked out, its wide eyes still set on the blade plunged through its chest…<p>

And, with every groan and gasp, it slowly began to lift its head from the ground… Without so much as a warning, snarling out in agony and rage, Dark Blue's arm shot up- its shadowy hand grasping the blade of the sword which was still embedded half-way deep into its chest. Its entire body was gasping, heavy and trembling as the light, cleaved from the massive wound in the center of its blackened chest, began to spread across its entire body… But, even as the light began to engulf it, still it fought, its hand wrapped tightly around the sword as it used the last of its dying energy to try and pull it out of its chest, screaming in torment as it pulled and pulled uselessly against the sword…

His eyes widening in shock, Blue could only look down at the creature continued to scream in agony beneath his blade, slowly dissolving into the light… And yet, as it persisted this strange action, ignoring its own death to try and pull the sword out of its chest… Suddenly, Blue felt a lump grow in his throat. Swallowing it quickly and gritting his teeth, the hero narrowed his eyes- and slowly took a step backwards, withdrawing his sword out of the clone's chest in a quick, fluid motion.

It was as if a lever had instantly been switched- as the sword slipped out of its body, Dark Blue gasped, its chest heaving upwards in the motion and its eyes flinging wide open. However, this result was instantaneous, sudden- and short-lived. For in an instant after it had frozen in that state, the gleaming hole of light bursting from its center… Almost immediately, the dark shadow's form had been completely illuminated by the spreading light, now a solid outline of light- and as it slowly began to fade, dissolving in the grey clouds of the graveyard surrounding, the creature that had once lay before him dissipated into the air and the light, gone from sight- yet, if not from mind.

Almost as soon as the dark creature had vanished, the softly glowing, red-opaque wall which had formed around Blue and his enemy faded away as well, and the other three Links, relieved and overjoyed, ran into the center of the arena, eagerly crowding Blue, all while grinning widely and congratulating him eagerly.

And yet, though he had indeed triumphed over the shadow… Blue felt a strange, hollow spot in the pit of his stomach. He looked down, his eyes almost sad, at the spot where the creature had fallen- to its last dying breath, fighting him. It had been a darkened reflection of him- a culmination of all his fears, hates, and sorrows, though still a part of him. And as the others quieted down, sensing his own discomfort, Blue finally looked back up at them, forcing a small smile on his face. They looked at him worriedly… Brushing past the fears and sorrows of the fight, Blue gave them his signature grin and laugh.

"… Piece o' cake."

Though his friends laughed at his joke, smiling and nodding and clapping him on the back, each of them were silent in a strange way, somehow knowing that the battle had affected their friend in ways he could not say- and possibly would not ever admit, even to them. Green looked at Blue with a quiet, melancholy sort of respect- his own battle had been rough, but at least he had been able to destroy his dark clone rather quickly, while Blue's had gone on for quite some time, the two powerful soldiers nearly evenly-matched.

However, turning towards their leader, Blue smirked as he raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "By the way, that one move I did, earlier? With the shield? Totally stole it from you." He flashed a wide, mock innocent grin.

There was a small pause between the Links- before they once again erupted in laughter, and even Green couldn't help but have a wide grin grow across his face, clapping his friend over the shoulder. "I'm glad you did," he said with a laugh, shaking his head. "You were great."

Interrupting the Links once more, however, was a blunt and calm voice.

"… Two down, two left to go. Which one of you cares to go next?"

The Four heroes were snapped out of their own conversation as they turned to look towards Shadow. He was the same he had been since the start of the very first fight- calm, quiet, and cold. Was this not affecting him at all? Or was it, and he was merely hiding it from them- angered or afraid? Either way, they were only half finished- and so there was no arguing with him.

However, from behind, surprising all of them, came a sudden bold voice, speaking up loud and confident.

"I'll go next, guys," Red said firmly, his eyes narrowed in determination as he stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly at his side. He took a slow, steady deep breath, his gaze locked firmly upon Shadow. "I… I'm _not_ afraid," he said firmly, giving a confident nod.

Blue's eyes widened. Quickly, he glanced over to Green- noticing that his leader, too, shared a worried look as he glanced sadly at the smallest Link. And as Green returned Blue's gaze of worry- all that their leader could do was sigh and quietly shake his head. Green knew as much as Blue did… sooner or later, whether now or last, Red would have to face the challenge just like the rest of them did. They could not ask him not to, or even force him, if they wanted to. And even if they could… They both looked back over at Red, his determined face still locked tightly over at Shadow. The smallest Link of the bunch had often been misjudged for his smaller size and more timid nature, but they each knew he was strong where it counted- they could not ask him not to take up a challenge two of them had already completed.

Finally, gritting his teeth and swallowing past these thoughts, Blue sighed as he took a step forward, placing a hand on Red's shoulder. The smaller Link blinked and looked over at Blue in light confusion.

Sighing, Blue shook his head, looking away and closing his eyes. "Red… Just… be careful, alright?" he finally managed to say, gritting his teeth and looking back over at their friend through pained eyes. "It's… it's not what I thought it would be."

Red blinked in surprise as his friend spoke to him, the concern clearly flooding his voice and showing through his words. The two of them had already resolved the conflict between them when the powerful Blue constantly worried for the smaller Red… And though he could see Blue was doing his best to show he respected Red and knew he was strong, still that concern played through. Was the battle truly as terrible as it had looked… or worse? These fears began to cloud his mind- but, quickly and firmly, he shook his head, pushing them away. He could not think that- he _would_ not think that. He would be _strong_.

"…I'll be fine," Red finally said, nodding and smiling over at his friends reassuringly. The others were silent, but gave nods in response. Mustering his courage and flashing a bright grin, Red turned around and took a few steps forward, readying himself as the other three turned and once more began to walk back to where they had been before, giving Red enough room to fight.

And yet, as they walked, Vio glanced uneasily over his shoulder at Red, then turning to look over to Green and Blue. "… Was it truly that terrible?" he asked quietly, his eyebrows lightly rising in surprise and rising concern. Though he too was worried, he had faith in Red to complete this mission quickly and easily, as the others had done- but seeing both Green and Blue so concerned for him, even more so than usual… Just how awful had the fights been?

His only answers were silent stares from Blue and Green, sad and painful. Neither of them could bring themselves to speak about it, and eventually looked back away, leaving Vio to his own thoughts.

Looking over at Shadow, Red swallowed a small lump in his throat as he spoke up once more, his voice sad, yet strong. "I… I think I failed you, Shadow," he spoke quietly, his crestfallen eyes falling across their friend. Though those behind him looked up at Red in shock, and even Shadow's eyes jumped in mild surprise, Red remained calm and firm as he continued. "It's kind of my job to keep us all together… And you got caught up in all this mess. Maybe I didn't do my job right…" However, shaking his head, he took a step forward as he finished with a bold, confident statement, "But I _won't_ fail you this time, Shadow. I'll make up for it, I promise."

Red then took a calm, deep breath, nodding his head once. "… I'm ready."

The calm yet emotional words spoken by the small Link had a much greater effect on the child than he would dare let them see. Beneath his seemingly cool and calm smirk, Shadow was grinding his teeth furiously, and beneath those masked eyes, a strange, angry burning sensation was threatening to well up from beneath the surface. He "failed"? Is that what he thought? And again, there was that pain in his chest… Yet, he was disguising it well, and soon shoved it aside as he raised his hand.

In a flash of blackened light, the glowing red wall once more rose up around the lone child, and the all-too-familiar blast of shadow magic burst from the child's fingertips, slicing through the air lightning-fast and slamming itself deep within the young Red Link. As the explosion of darkness blasted into his body, Red's eyes were flung open and he gasped, his body frozen in place- yet his muscles twitching and sweat starting to form along his neck. The black swirls of shadow were lingering around his body, its main powers already sinking deep within the child's being.

And as the darkness worked its way into Red's thoughts and fears, though he fought it, telling himself to be strong and determined to fight whatever monster this was, he could not keep it from diving deep into his memories, rustling through them and flashing before his mind the thoughts, fears, traumas and worries he'd kept locked away tight in the depths of his mind. He fought- but he was not strong enough.

_… The vicious, hateful words screamed at one another as the four children rounded on each other, hate and sorrow in their hearts as they parted…_

_ Darkness drifting across all of them and invading their hearts, turning them on one another and forcing them to raise their swords in fury…_

_ … Comments escalating into insults, hurt and resentment building between his friends, desperately trying to keep them whole…_

_ Words forgone for action, violence all around him between hearts which should be connected, diving in the center only to be hurt even further…_

Why…? Why was it bringing up all these painful memories, emotions he had long since hidden away and moved on from? Red could hardly understand it, though inside, with no control over himself nor the images which were brought before his thoughts, he was powerless to keep them from coming, powerless to stop the flood of despair rushing through him…

And yet, almost as soon as it had arrived, the blackness left him, the river of sorrow and pain flowing out of Red along with the shadow and sending him gasping, stumbling a few steps forward as he regained control of his own body. The sweat which had formed on his neck was now trickling down the sides, his muscles shaking and his lungs gasping for breath. So this… this was what Blue and Green had meant… the pain was not simply physical, but it haunted him in his own thoughts. And that haunt had materialized before him…

Looking up with weary eyes, Red could only stare in horror as the blackness which had invaded his body, stealing the sorrows and pain of his worst traumas, began to take shape in front of him. And when it was complete… looking back at him through empty, burning red eyes was his own form, blackened beyond expression- though well within recognition.

His sword and shield were sheathed behind his back, and as Dark Red slowly raised his hands, moving as if to draw them from behind... In an instant, moving quicker than he had ever seen another move before, the dark clone of the young Link jerked his hand outwards from behind his back- though grasped tightly in his grasp was not the sword nor shield that Red had expected, as he had drawn his own in the same motion. Instead, Red's eyes shot open in wide horror, holding his sword and shield in his hand, as Dark Red took a step forward, opening its mouth in blind rage, and lashed out in front of it, swinging in a massive arc its terrifying, powerful Fire Rod.

A massive, bursting inferno, a torrent of flames rising in an angry, vicious wave barreled out of the tip of the rod, hurtling towards the small child at a lightning fast speed. The clouds of flame roared in an all-consuming rage, building on top of the other as they aimed themselves for the one standing in its path: Red.

"_RED!-!-!-!"_

Shouting out loud from behind the red wall, the three Links, their jaws and eyes falling wide open, leapt forward, stopping inches before the translucent barrier yet straining their eyes and ears for whatever they could see. Their breath was held, shock freezing their heart as they saw the wave of flame engulf their friend, hiding him from their view-

-And yet, when it finally passed, each of them breathed a massive sigh of relief, stumbling back yet with their eyes focused triumphantly at what stood, unmoved, in the center of the arena.

Cringing and wincing, but holding his own Ice Rod in front of him, Red weakly opened an eye- grinning widely upon realizing it had worked. A sturdy wall of ice, fully encasing him in a bubble-like shield, had burst out of the tip of his Rod, forming quickly around him in a protective covering. The sudden wall of flame had melted much of it away, and already it was crumbling to water and shards of ice to the ground, leaving Red exposed- but it had done its job, saving him from the blast of fire, and he sighed in relief.

However, from behind the wall, the Links knew it was still far from over. And, exploding forward in rage, Blue roared as he lunged forward once more, "What the hell?-! How is _that_ fair?-! I thought we could only use our _swords_!"

From the far end of the other side of the arena, Shadow laughed. "Who ever said _that_?" he sneered, crossing his arms and leaning against the tombstone, apparently enjoying the fight. "Just because your two shadow-clones were too _stupid_ to realize they could use their items to their advantage, doesn't mean _this_ one isn't." He laughed again, raising an eyebrow curiously over at the two dueling Links. "This should be an interesting fight."

Red's moment of relief only lasted a second- for as soon as his ice barrier had melted away, so the dark doppelganger standing in front of him snarled and once more lashed out with his mighty weapon, sending another rushing, roaring wave of fire barreling his way. Gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes in determination, Red shouted aloud as he stepped forward, returning the blast with the element opposite its own. In the center of the arena, ice and fire crashed against one another, the bright icy-blues slicing through the flashing hot-reds and oranges, each element interweaving with each other, blasting apart each area and bringing the attacks to a stall. The clash of the elements burst light all throughout the graveyard, and truly was a terrifying and yet magnificent sight to behold.

And yet, Dark Red was quick on his feet, not hesitating a second before alternating its Fire with the power of its Ice. With another quick jolt of his wrist, the reds of the fire faded and we soon replaced by the blistering, bright white-blues of ice, storming outwards from the tip of his Rod's orb. Gasping in surprise, though struggling to keep up, Red took a step backwards as he, too, changed his attack from ice to fire- and as if the previous spectacle of fire versus ice had not been enough, now both sides were flashing in alternate colors at one another- fire against ice, then ice overpowering the fire. The reds would roar up from the dark's side to overcome the ice, but when the light's side of ice pushed forward to gain a hold on the battle, so the first would alternate to the second, and the second switch to the first.

As Red gasped, his strength wavering and his eyes quickly adjusting to each new change in element, a sinking horror was beginning to creep over him. This dark clone of himself… the intensity, the rage… How was this even a part of him? The mere idea that such _hatred_, such fury and power, could have even been created of his sorrows terrified him… And with a sudden jolt, he wondered- had he been like this when they were possessed by the jellyfish? Had he faced his friends like this…? With unfeeling, raw anger and an unbridled strength? A tight knot formed in his throat and he quickly swallowed it away. If he had… now was not the time to falter. Already, it was growing clear to him: if he didn't figure something out, Dark Red would win. He couldn't keep this Ice-Fire switch on forever, while the shadowy counterpart of him could.

The rage… Suddenly, Red's eyes snapped open in realization. He had something the other didn't- and he would use it to his advantage.

Blasting off a final wave of fire with his ice, Red took a step back, the arena temporarily cleared, and grinned.

"HEY! Dark-butt!" Red shouted as loud as he could, grinning as he looked over at the blackened shadow. Its narrowed, hateful red eyes suddenly blinked in surprise- and Red laughed.

"You _missed_ me!" Red taunted, sticking his tongue out.

Dark Red's eyes blinked, widening in surprise- yet in an instant, narrowed once more in a rejuvenated, renewed hatred. Roaring silently, yet with all its fury rising to the surface, the creature once more lashed out with its Fire Rod, the blast larger and more furious than any it had created before. And yet, when it washed over Red's form and disappeared- once more, Red was standing perfectly still and unharmed, hiding behind his Ice Rod.

"Missed me again!" Red shouted out again with another laugh, a wide, silly grin spread on his face. "Man, and you're supposed to be _me_? I've got much better aim than _that!_ _You_ can't even hit the broad side of a barn!"

Its rage was building- roaring over and over in its silent fury, Dark Red shot blast out of blast out of its Fire Rod, hurtling powerfully and wildly out towards Red. And yet, each blast, Red laughed as he jumped to the side, rolled around it, or once more brought up his Ice Rod to defend himself. He almost looked like he was having _fun_. However, this was only causing the creature to grow in its rage and blind fury… And, as another missed and Red stuck out his tongue once more, Dark Red snapped- and, a terrifying, bestial roar finally bursting from its mouth, took a massive and powerful step forward, lashing out with its Fire Rod- and engulfing the entire arena in flames.

And this time, it did not stop. Continuing its hateful and infuriated roar, Dark Red kept the inferno going through the tip of its Fire Rod and swirling over the entire arena. The three behind the wall gasped and leapt forward, straining their eyes to catch sight of Red- but under the nonstop storm of fire and destruction, they could see nothing. They called out his name- but under the roar of the fire, nothing else could be heard.

Long seconds passed as Dark Red continued his full-on, blinded rage assault of the arena, flooding everything in a non-stop torrent of flames and burning hatred. The hearts of the Links began to sink, wondering if Red was safe underneath the terrifying inferno-

In an instant, shattering the walls of fire and freezing over the entire arena, came a massive, towering wall of ice and frost. The source came from right in front of Dark Red- and as the blackened shadow took a surprised step backwards, its eyes widening in shock, it was then unable to do anything else- for the Ice Rod aimed mere inches in front of its face had blasted out a strong, powerful wave of icy magic, freezing over the entire being and stopping the flow of its Fire Rod, as well as forming a thick, strong layer of ice over its entire form.

The fire had stopped- and Red stood panting in front of his dark counterpart, his arms shaking as he weakly held up his Ice Rod. His plan had worked- he'd forced Dark Red into blindly charging with his Fire Rod, leaving Red able to make a moving, protective shield of ice underneath. During the storm of fire, he'd crept closer and closer to the enemy- until he was close enough to end it. Red's exhausted, wide eyes looked straight into the wide, enraged and surprised, frozen-over eyes of his enemy- it could not move beneath the thick layer of ice Red had frozen it under. Already it was struggling- no doubt it would not hold him for long- trying to escape its icy prison.

The entire graveyard had fallen silent. Echoing across the dead forest surrounding them were the soft, shuffling footsteps as Red took a small step back, lowering his Ice Rod…

And, gritting his teeth, shouted aloud as he whipped out from behind him his Four Sword, putting away his Ice Rod and slicing outwards in a quick, instant motion- yet, with all his power and strength behind it, sending the young hero into a powerful Spin Attack, spinning around in a tight, quick circle with his blade lashing out in a circle all around him.

The ice was shattered- and as Red's blade dug through Dark Red's frozen form multiple times during his Spin Attack, the dark counterpart's eyes suddenly grew wide. When the ice had all broken off, leaving the blackened clone freed once more, with the gashes of light still sliced in multiple places upon its being, Dark Red could only silently stagger backwards… And, its reddened eyes still wide, full of fury and hatred, slowly the being fell to its knees-

And, screaming in rage and agony, the creature collapsed to the ground, the light swallowing it from the inside-out and bursting outwards in a bright, powerful blast of brightness. When the blackened wisps of shadows forming its being had all but disappeared, blasted into smithereens by the light, the brightness left only a soft glow on the ground in front of Red where his enemy had once stood.

There was a long silence after Dark Red had perished. Even as the wall disappeared, and the three Links behind took small, quiet steps forward, Red was silent and still as he looked down at the place where his vanquished foe had fallen. When they finally reached him, gathering in a small circle around him, each of them looked sadly over at their friend, each attempting a small smile. Green gently laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Finally, turning around to face them, Red mustered all the courage he could- and gave a smile.

Without another word being spoken, the three Links stepped forward and wrapped their arms around their small friend in a quiet, yet emotional hug. Red's eyes squeezed shut as the weak smile stayed on his face, and as he hugged his friends back, a small drop of wetness made its way out of his tightly-closed eyes.

"You're _not_ like that, Red," Vio muttered quietly as he looked down at their smaller friend, his arm wrapped around the Link's shoulder. "And you _never_ will be."

Sniffing, Red opened his eyes, nodding and smiling and wiping away his tears as he looked up at Vio. How did the smartest Link of them always know what was bothering them…? Still, he was comforted by their words and their hug, and when it was over, he took a step back, grinning and nodding in quiet thanks.

Breaking out of their hug, the attention of all Four Links was once more directed towards the massive tombstone at the end of the graveyard, where Shadow stood quietly, awaiting the last of them to step forward.

Taking a calm, slow breath, Vio looked away from his friends, taking a step forward and closer towards the shadow. His face, though kept calm as he could, was fraught with guilt and emotions- and as he faced Shadow, ready to accept his challenge, he bowed his head, his eyes closed in shame as he spoke.

"You once told us, Shadow… that friends didn't value a person for if they were strong or smart, brave or not…" Vio looked up, his face sad yet set firm. "They valued you for who you were inside. And I know the real Shadow is still somewhere inside you… and that Shadow is still our friend." He took another breath, shaky, trying to calm himself as he drew his sword, holding it out in front of him. "And I'll _fight_ to bring him back, if I have to."

The other Links looked wordlessly at one another before giving another nod, turning and walking back to the far end of the arena. Vio's fight… it was much more personal than theirs. He'd always been a closer friend to Shadow than any of them had been… what happened at Death Mountain so long ago, and not so long ago in Ganondorf's Castle… This would be something Vio would have to settle on his own. And as Vio looked over his shoulder one last time to the others, all of them giving him an encouraging smile and nod, the calm Link turned back to look towards Shadow, nodding once to show he was ready.

The words Vio had spoken had a strange effect on Shadow, and the boy of darkness bit his tongue in the back of his mouth as a knot began to form in his throat. The twisting, aching feeling in his chest from before once more ripped him open from the inside- why did their words have such a painful effect on him? Why was it that each time they spoke, he felt as if he were about to break in two? Clenching his teeth and fighting past the pain, Shadow slowly raised his hands.

And as the blackness once more shot out towards him, the last thing Vio could see before the infinite darkness overtook him was the sad, tormented face of a friend in pain.

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><p><strong>): This fight's gonna be a tough one... I'm sorry I couldn't fit more of Vio's fight into this chapter (I had originally planned for it to end on this chapter), but Blue's end and Red's fight took up more time than I thought they would. Oh well, quality over quantity, right? x) <strong>

**Anyways, get ready for one heck of a fight, (and a surprise twist!), coming tomorrow in the next update, Chapter Forty-One: _Adversity_!**


	41. Adversity

**Are you guys ready? This is gonna be one heck of a chapter!**

**Hold on to your seats, and let's get started! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-One:<strong> Adversity

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><p>All at once, the darkness was inside of him. The breath was forced from his chest and he staggered to his knees, only catching himself from falling by placing his shaky palms on the rough, scratchy dirt of the graveyard's ground. His eyes were wide and his muscles shook- and yet, through all the physical pain, the emotional was even worse. The black magic bursting from the tips of Shadow's fingers had slammed directly into Vio's form, diving deep within his body and infesting his soul. And as Vio's fingers curled beneath him, digging furiously and painfully into the dirt beneath him, his eyes were shut tightly and painfully, the flood of darkness almost overwhelming him. Yet when it had found what it was searching for-<p>

_ … Right in the center of the terrible weapon's light, he had been vulnerable to the attack- and yet, in his confusion and blindness, so his friend had taken the agonizing hit for him… _

_They were flung to the ground all around him, blasted from behind, and as he watched them, the answer mere inches from his fingertips, so he was helpless to aid them… _

… _The sounds and sights of battle in front of him as they fought to the bitter end, hurting and slowly being overwhelmed from his own inadequacy… _

_And the general's foot as it went right through him, passing the helpless Link in its rampage, who knew what he needed to do, yet was unable to act… _

This… this was worse than he could have ever imaged, and now he knew why the battle had affected each of his friends so. It was not entirely the fight itself- after all, he could feel the memories of raw pain, sorrow, and shame drawn out from beneath him, brought painfully to the surface in the creation of the creature he would soon have to face. All the times he had known what to do and been unable to help- or worse, knowing the answer rested on his shoulders, and unable to fill those expectations- resulting in the harm of his friends. Inside the torment of his mind, Vio struggled against the painful memories- his rational mind trying to push the hurt away, knowing those times had long past- yet, despite this, he could feel the emotions rising up anyways. And as they finally came to a head-

All at once, the darkness left him- and though it took the sorrows and anguish with it, as Vio collapsed on the ground, gasping, he could still feel its pain lingering in the back of his mind. However, he quickly chastised himself- reminding himself that his time was limited, knowing just what was going on in front of him. No matter the internal pain he was suffering- he could not lose. He would _not_ let his friends down. Gritting his teeth and forcing himself to his feet, Vio panted lightly as he took a few steps back, his narrowed, focused eyes carefully setting upon the form which had materialized and taken shape before him.

The air in the graveyard had fallen silent, growing tense as the two fighters stood calmly opposite one another- one with bright, blue eyes, and the other with cold, fiercely-glowing red slits, each cautiously and quietly staring the other one down. Vio looked upon his counterpart carefully- he had seen already how Green, Blue, and Red had fought, and how their own darkened clones had as well. Would this, then, be an exact mirror of his abilities, like Blue and Green's? Or would it be a stark reflection of his calm and careful calculation, like the anger and sorrow formed from Red? However, as the blackened shadow of himself took a calm step forward, Vio repeated the motion, taking a step forward and slowly reaching for the sword and shield behind his back.

And, without a second's worth longer of hesitation, so Dark Vio leapt forwards, bringing his sword and shield out from behind him, with one arm gripped tightly around the handle of his shield, and the other hand wielding firmly his blackened, sharp sword. His jab was a calculated and aimed one, his eyes narrowed in harsh concentration and focus- and it was only by Vio leaping backwards in a quick flip, bringing his shield out in front of him and his sword held back in his other hand, that his enemy was able to evade the sudden and initial attack, taking a few more steps backwards as he landed to once more even out the distance between them. The two fighters, their weapons drawn, calmly circled one another, their fierce and focused eyes staring the other down as they waited for their opening- or planned their next move.

Sweat was forming on Vio's forehead as thoughts raced through his mind. Dark Vio was fighting just as he would fight- he was being careful and meticulous, though also quick and cunning. The only reason he evaded its initial attack was that he would have done the same thing- and only had, last-minute, decided to change his own actions to a defensive one. His heart was pounding in his chest as he watched his enemy stand in front of him, its empty, red eyes staring back at him, holding its sword and shield, ready to attack- or defend- at any second. How could he attack an enemy who was as thoroughly-planning as he was? However, Vio grit his teeth- he couldn't afford any thoughts against what he knew he had to do. He would have to try- even if he failed, he would learn.

And so, his decision made, Vio was quick and silent, giving not a hesitation's worth of notice to his attacker as he ran forwards, leaping up and slicing his blade downwards in a quick Jump Attack, slicing upwards his blade right as it came down in a quick and tricky dual maneuver. And yet, his eyes wide in surprise, Vio could only watch as his blackened doppelganger leapt backwards, swinging up his shield, his footwork quick and calculated, leaping to the side and swinging his own sword in a downwards motion. Gasping, Vio could only stumble backwards, throwing up his shield to the unexpected counterattack. Dark Vio's blade sliced across the front of his shield, and once more, both attackers backed up around each other, circling each other again as each looked for the next opportunity to strike.

Unbelievable… Dark Vio's counterattack was expertly planned and well-pulled off, a clever block with its shield coupled with a roll to the side, ending with a quick downwards slice. Exactly what Vio would have done himself, if faced with the attack he'd pulled off. Could this dark clone of him think as Vio could, then? Could it calculate his own moves- or worse, did he know what Vio was planning before he even pulled it off? Once more, the questions taunted Vio from inside, dancing just beyond his reach and teasing him with its riddles. He'd learned much from watching his three other friends fight- but all that he had learned, none of it applied here. He could not outfight Dark Vio in a sword-and-shield match like Green had- and, faced with an enemy with an intellect equal his own, brute strength would not work in overpowering his foe. And lastly, he knew his clone was far too stable to tease or provoke.

So what was he to do? He grit his teeth and raised his sword once more- and, in an instant, gasped, his eyes widened, as Dark Vio leapt forward, swinging his sword downwards and jerking it to the side in an angled, focused strike. Under his breath, Vio cursed himself as he leapt backwards, throwing up his shield as he heard the others cry out in surprise and worry behind him. Temporarily lost in his own thoughts, he'd given Dark Vio an opening- one that the dark clone had cleverly seized. He was not fast enough with his shield- and gasped, staggering backwards, as the tip of his opponent's sword ripped through the tunic over his shoulder, slicing a thin line in the fabric- and creating a small trickle of red down the side of his arm.

Instantly, his free arm clutched his shoulder as he winced in pain, taking a few steps backwards. He had been careless… and as he would've done in the other's position, so it used that moment of carelessness- even if had only been a split-second- to land a blow. He took a few more steps back to widen the distance between them, releasing his hand from his shoulder as he winced, dealing with the pain through gritted teeth. As he reaffixed his free hand's grip on his shield, he could feel his palm sticky from where the blood stuck from the open wound on his shoulder to his palms. It would be a constant reminder to him- not to be careless again. He would have to outsmart this dark clone- trick it and defeat it through means other than the plans and careful strategy he was so used to.

So how was he to out-smart a mirrored version of himself, who knew every attack he had planned?

Vio's eyes lit up, widening in sudden surprise. If Dark Vio was reflecting every plan he formed in his thoughts… A sly grin began to play across his cool face as he once more circled his opponent, reaffixing his tight grip on both sword and shield. He even laughed once, calmly under his breath, staring down his opponent with a renewed plan. His grin widened- could Dark Vio indeed read his thoughts, or know his plans as they formed? Even if he did- he would not be expecting this.

Running forward, his shield trailing behind him, Vio suddenly lunged forward as he swung outwards with his shield, bold and sudden, unplanned and wild, bringing his sword down in a quick forward slice and then slicing one hit after another, in various, uncoordinated directions in a full-on assault against his darkened counterpart. And though Dark Vio had been ready for the attack, its shield thrown up and a defense stance taken- its eyes widened as it stumbled backwards, gritting its teeth as it tried to keep up with the sudden onslaught of slicing blades. It could see the first- coming downwards in the center, with a slight angle, made to throw it off-balance and throw off its coordination. It was able to easily make up for this- but as the next attacks came, sudden and unplanned, from all directions and without hardly an even target, so it found itself unable to figure out just where the blade would slice next.

And, in the middle of his attack, almost laughing as he did so, a sudden thought flashing across his head, Vio tucked his shield close to his form as he spun around quick on his feet, his blade out firmly in front of him as he executed a near-perfect Spin Attack. Dark Vio's shield had been jerked to the side by his previous slice- and, gasping, the creature could only stumble back, wrapping an arm around its side as the blade gouged right through it. A thick, heavy light had been sliced clean through its dark being- but, hissing and snarling past it, Dark Vio merely took a few more steps back, putting away its shield as it instead used its free hand to wrap tightly around its wound. It was not going down, not yet.

However, Vio's eyes were triumphant, and a bold grin played across his face as he took a few, equal steps back. He could do this- he'd had his doubts at first, but knew that it had to be the only way. He was such an expert fighter at how he fought- careful, planned, thought-out, and calculated. So what would _he_ be least expecting, if not an unplanned, unexpected, wild and brazen series of attacks like what he'd just done? He'd found the weakness of his foe- and though it was still on its feet, he knew with a sly smirk- it would not be for long.

Holding out its sword in a careful, half-offensive and half-defensive stance, Dark Vio's eyes narrowed in concentration as it readied for Vio's attack. The two equally wounded soldiers, cunning and determined, stood looking silently at one another, each ready for the other's move. However, Vio thought with a grim laugh, nothing would prepare it- prepare himself- for what he was _not_ planning.

Once more, Vio leapt into the fray- though this time with a loud battle-cry, lunging into the fight and swinging his shield boldly in front of him. Quickly, Dark Vio parried with a counter-strike of its own, leaping to the side and striking back with his sword. However, even though Vio had not planned for a defensive maneuver, he found himself already rolling to the side in another quick attack, dodging his opponent's blade as he leapt upwards and brought his sword sharply down, its angle meeting oppositely with the other's. And as he held his blade firmly against the other… Vio could see the slice in its side weakening it… He held his own against the black shadow… It was trembling, faltering, the light from its earlier wound beginning to overcome it…

And in an instant, Vio gave a sly, mischievous grin.

Lashing out with his freed arm, which held it side, Vio shouted out as he bashed the broad side of his shield against his enemy's side. The hold was broken- and as Dark Vio stumbled backwards, temporarily disabled, so Vio struck back, quickly and firmly. Slamming his shoulder into the creature's chest, Vio yelled out as he fell to the ground on top of his opponent. However, as soon as the duo landed, though the first shouted out in pain, the Link of light quickly regained his footing, leaping upwards and once more drawing out his sword. Grunting and panting, Dark Vio staggered to his feet, still weakly holding the growing wound of light in his side… And as it looked up, its bloody, red eyes suddenly went from their narrow hatred to a wide-eyed horror.

In the next instant, Vio lunged forward, stabbing fiercely and relentlessly forward in a single, swift motion. His white, glistening Four Sword was plunged straight through his enemy's chest- and as soon as Vio's sword had sunk all the way through his enemy's middle, Dark Vio's mouth opened as if to scream- yet not a sound came out. Its arms went limp as it stood in front of its enemy, the sword still sticking out clean through its own side- and as the light from its previous wound grew, merging with the light bursting from the center of its wound by Vio's sword…

As all the others had before, the blackness which outlined the form of the motionless, silent Dark Vio began to fade and break away as the light overtook it, shining through every crevice of darkness in its being, as Vio held his Four Sword firm and unwavering in his grasp. The light grew from around his holy weapon- and as it finally engulfed him, though Vio's eyes slightly winced in reaction from the bright light, his stance was unmoving, his arm still outstretched in the final stab. When the light finally faded, and Vio's eyes blinked open, readjusting to the normal light around him…

His sword was merely held out against open air.

It was then that Vio realized he had stopped breathing- and, his breath returning to him in a calm, deep gasp, Vio felt his arm limply fall to his side, his fingers trembling as they did all they could just to keep their grasp around the hilt of his sword. His eyes closed as he lightly shook all over- and though he could hear the others approaching him, he paid them no heed, instead lifting his free arm to once again lightly cover the wet, stinging wound on his shoulder.

Soon, however, his eyes opened as the others gathered around him, bright smiles on their faces and their hands eagerly clapping him over the shoulder, congratulating him on his win. However, he could see their eyes trail to where his hand was still gripped across his shoulder- and Vio gave a grim smile.

"Just a flesh wound," he teased with a short laugh, letting go of it and idly tugging his tunic to cover it up, wiping his hand off at the inside of his shield.

Green frowned, crossing his arms. "Maybe," he said, sighing and shaking his head, "But we're going to make sure it's taken care of before we get to the castle."

Vio gave a weak smile and a soft laugh. It really was only a small cut, and would most likely scab over in a matter of hours, healing in days. However, he would naturally bend to the will of his leader- and gave a small, short nod to Green, looking back at the other two with a wide, triumphant grin.

Blue, for his part, had raised a curious eyebrow, and laughed. "Remind me not to get in a fight with a ticked off Vio, eh, Green?" he shot with a teasing grin, looking sideways over at Green before elbowing Vio playfully. Vio returned the grim, teasing smirk, and Red bawled over Vio and his injury, but also over how happy he was that they had all completed their challenges.

And yet, as Red calmed down, each of them began to truly understand and come to realize what he had said- and, silently, each of them turned until they all faced, once more, the center of the graveyard- the towering tombstone, and the young child who was standing calmly and quietly in front of it.

… In all honesty, he was not that surprised. Like the over-confident one had said at the beginning- they'd been through so many of their tests already, how was it not surprising that they'd complete this one, as well? Shadow's eyes remained as calm and emotionless as ever as he stared back at the Four Heroes who had eventually fallen silent and looked back at him wordlessly. Shadow frowned, sighing and shaking his head.

"… Well, a deal is a deal," he finally said with a dry smirk, walking away from the tombstone a few steps and dusting off the palms of his hands idly. His smirk turned downwards into a reluctant sneer as he looked hatefully upon the four, "I'm loathe to admit it, but I'll hold up my end of the bargain. You four can go to the castle." He then crossed his arms and scoffed, looking idly away. "Hell, maybe you'll even win, then I won't have to listen to their bull anymore, anyways."

The heroes were silent. They looked at one another, then back at Shadow. The child's red eyes widened slightly in surprise- though they were still narrowed in anger and hate. "What?" he sneered, angered and confused, looking at each of them in turn. "You _won_. Now get over here so I can send you to the castle and crap." Why were they hesitating?

Finally, one of them spoke up. Green cleared his throat as he took a step forward- yet stopped, there, his eyes narrowing firmly as he spoke in a determined, unwavering voice.

"… We're not going anywhere without you, Shadow."

The other three quickly nodded in agreement.

Shadow's eyes widened- and then, just as quickly, narrowed sharply in disgust. "That was never part of the deal," he snapped quickly, rounding on them and taking another step forward. "I'm still your enemy, so don't forget it." His fists were jerked out in front of him as he began to summon a dark energy around his hands. "Now take your offer while it's still good," he snarled.

However, once more the four Links exchanged a glance- and, shaking their heads, each looked calmly back at Shadow.

"We said it once, we'll say it again," Blue snapped with a firm nod, "We're not leaving unless you're going with us. You're our friend-"

"Will you idiots shut the hell up with that?-!" Shadow roared, interrupting Blue and taking a sharp step forward, the dark magic around his fists suddenly blazing up in an instantaneous explosion of fury. "I am _not_ your 'friend'! I'm your _enemy_!"

"No, you're not!" Red countered quickly, his eyes lightly narrowing in determination as he took a step forward, shaking his head. He looked up, his eyes pleading as he implored, "Don't you remember anything still? We've done as much as we can, why don't you have your memory back? Please, Shadow!" he pleaded, looking up at their friend. "You've got to remember _something_ about us!"

Quickly, Vio nodded. "We each got our memories back after we received our elements," he said, looking over at the others. "Perhaps something different is required to restore Shadow's." He then turned his gaze over at Green, giving a firm nod. "I believe it would be best if we found out what it may be and help him before returning to the castle."

Green gave a quick nod return, agreeing wordlessly with Vio. However, before he could even turn his head to look back towards Shadow-

"… You really think you can restore my memories?" Shadow snapped coldly and quietly, his voice like ice as he narrowed his eyes into slits, looking hatefully at the heroes. They all looked back at him in surprise- the anger boiling beneath the surface, Shadow's fists clenched even tighter as he took another step forward.

"I've done _everything_ to try and get them back," he snarled, his anger and voice rising by every step he took. "I've hurt you. I've _helped_ you. I've silenced you, and I've let you talk." The others looked at each other in surprise at his second revelation- and Shadow merely laughed. "What, you think the Sky Cannon being in the Earth Temple was a fluke?" he sneered. He continued advancing upon them as the realization began to dawn.

"The only thing I _haven't_ done… Is what I _should_ have done all along."

His fists swirling in the angry, throbbing magic, Shadow slowly raised his hands as he looked through them, his eyes dark and narrowed as he stared down the Four Heroes before him.

Their eyes widened in shock. "S… Shadow, you wouldn't," Red whined, taking a fearful step backwards. "You wouldn't hurt us," he repeated, shaking his head in denial. "I know you wouldn't. You… you're our…"

His anger was also boiling, and, snarling, Blue took a step forward, stepping in front of Red with his hands balled angrily into fists. "Shadow, get a hold of yourself!" he shouted loudly. "You know this isn't what you're supposed to do! Don't you have even a shred of light left in you?-!"

"Blue, calm down!" Green said firmly, shaking his head and sighing. He looked over at Shadow, his eyes pitying yet conflicted. "We won't fight you," he said calmly, noticing their friend's growing fury and the increasing size of the dark shadow magic swirling around his fingers. "But we won't leave you until your memories are back, either," he added with a nod.

"Whatever we have to do, Shadow," Vio added carefully, looking calmly at Shadow, "We'll do it. Veran and Onox can wait- we're a team. And that _includes_ you."

Shadow's eyes grew wide and furious as he stared at the Four Heroes in front of him. All in a line, looking at him with firm and determined eyes, their strength and focus unwavering as they stared him down…

Together… the four of them, standing opposite of himself…

Shadow's eyes widened as a rush of light began to flood over him.

… _The heat of the lava was bubbling all around them, creating a blanket of smoke surrounding the five children. He was walking across a narrow rock bridge, his breath shaky and hollow and his muscles aching in pain. And on the other side of the canyon, stood the four boys, looking at him with a quiet, firm determination, their eyes narrowed- yet having hardly broken a sweat. _

_His voice was shaking, and his lips pulled back into a snarl as he cursed them out._

"_You… you ruined __**everything**__ so easily!" he hissed, taking a step forward, his breath still shaking in exertion and fury. "How?-!"_

"_I just had to figure out your plans," came a calm and cold voice, emotionless and calculating. Shadow's wide, infuriated eyes looked forward at the one who'd spoken against him- the one he'd thought was his friend. The one he could trust. The one who had betrayed him- betrayed them all. _

"_And it wasn't __**that **__hard," the boy continued, his voice almost mocking, "because in the end… you're a __**reflection**__ of us."_

_The words were like irons driven into his chest, insults beyond what even they could comprehend. And even then, he did not stop._

"_The one big difference is… for a bit of personal power," the young hero continued to speak calm and cool, as if hardly caring how his words hurt, "You were willing to completely betray your partners. But as a hero," he added, his chin lifting in a bold and heroic stance as he raised his sword, "I __**never **__strayed from my hopes and my goals."_

_Hopes… Goals…? What did __**he**__ know of hopes and goals, a spoiled child living a happy life in the world of light, in the prosperous kingdom of Hyrule? What did he know opposite a shadow who had nothing they did, who yearned for everything they had and was burdened with the horrors and sorrows of a darkened life they could never imagine? Once more, red-hot stakes burned into his chest at each word, his eyes widening in a growing pain and rage._

_They… they'd lied to him… Everything they ever said, everything __**he**__ ever said was a __**lie**__… They betrayed him… _

_His rage was growing beyond what he could control, his fists raising up to his eyes as his anger covered over his pain. "I… I'll __**never**__ forgive you!" Shadow roared, the agony climbing up his throat at the words he spoke to himself as much as them. "This isn't over!"_

"_Yes, it is." Their response was calm and cool, unfeeling and confident. He wasn't sure which one of them had said it- but what did it matter? The four of them stood, calm and unafraid, opposed to him with their holy swords of light raised. Once again, they spoke. "We're stronger than we were at Hyrule Castle. We're a team." _

_A team…? A team of four, against the shadow of one… The light against the darkness… The rage and agony built up in his chest once more, his entire body trembling as it began to overtake him._

"_D… __**damn **__**you**__…" his words shook and trembled, and he could feel himself becoming lost in his blind rage. "I'll kill… EVERY __**LAST ONE OF YOU!-!-!**__" His last words were a roar, a shriek of hatred and pain, as he shed his humanity and leapt at them, a demonic, infuriated snarl across his darkened face. _

"_O force! Give us LIGHT!"_

_The shouts of the Four Heroes rang loud and clear- and as he leapt at them, from the tips of their magnificent holy swords burst a bright and divine light. Merging together from four beams into one, the light blasted out towards the shadow- and as it flew over him, Shadow found himself screaming in agony, pushed back by the terrible, hateful light. It delved through his body… breaking him down… the pain was unbearable, what did they know of a shadow being exposed to the light… Screaming, howling in rage, the pain was all he knew as he finally faded away into the light, his form disappearing from their view as he was vanquished by the divine light of the holy, pure Four Sword Heroes._

Gasping aloud, his eyes flung back open, Shadow found himself staggering backwards, almost falling if not for catching himself on the back of a nearby tombstone with an outstretched arm. The Links in front had blinked and started forward with a cry of concern, but to the child of Shadows, they may as well had not been there. Instead, his eyes were wide and frantic as they looked across the ground, reveling in the new light that had been painfully exposed in his thoughts. The memory… the truth which had hit him, right in the moment when he'd been willing to believe them…

…_Everything they ever said to him was a __**lie**__…_

_They betrayed him…_

…They _**murdered**_ him…

His breath was coming hollow and deep, his eyes widening as he straightened himself up, standing up on his own power and looking back in a mixture of shock, horror, and rage, at the Four Sword Heroes. They looked back at him with wide and confused eyes… and all at once, the pain and agony, the horror and the hatred from his memory came rushing back to him.

"You _bastards_… you _lied_ to me…" His voice was dark and empty, his eyes narrowed in a blind fury as he looked over all of them, his lips pulling back in a furious, fanged snarl. "You tried to _use_ me…" His fists were tightening, his knuckles becoming white from the pressure as the dark powers once more began to rise out from underneath him- though this time, with a new sort of hatred and pain backing it, making them rise even higher than they'd ever had before. Already, the darkness was beginning to swirl around him…

"Shadow, what are you talking about?" Green cried, his eyes widening as he began to realize in horror what was happening. He took a step backwards, shielding the smaller Red beside him with his arms. "We're your _friends_!"

"Shadow, _please_…" Red whimpered, his eyes wide and beginning to brim with fearful, despairing tears.

Blue's eyes were shaking in sorrow and rage as he watched the fury escalate around Shadow. "We never _once_ 'used' you, Shadow!" he shot back angrily- though even he could sense the uselessness of his own words, as Shadow's anger and his dark magic continued to build, towering over them all and casting its malicious, twisting shadows across them.

Lastly, staring at Shadow with a broken and hollow soul, Vio's eyes were wide in despair as he looked at their friend, his rage building. "Shadow… you _wouldn't_…" He swallowed a lump in his throat as he took a step backwards. Had… had they failed him…?

However, the child of Shadows was no longer listening to them. The darkness was growing around him in a quickly-accelerating and building rage, engulfing the entire arena in its darkness. And through it all, his bright, furious red eyes burned in his agony and his hate. Slowly, he was beginning to rise above them, reveling in the powers of darkness as he looked down at the Four Heroes.

"Four Sword _Heroes_," Shadow snarled, his mocking voice increasing into a terrifying shout as the powers of darkness grew all around him, flooding him with its enmity and its might. His eyes snapped open, a furious, hateful rage finally devouring him.

"_I'll __**CRUSH**__ YOU!-!-!"_

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><p><strong>Heheheh, were you expecting <em>that<em>? ;) **

**The heroes may have completed their challenges, for the better or for the worse, but with an unfortunate memory Shadow receives... **

**Will the heroes fight against Shadow? If so, will they be triumphant? And if not... will Shadow truly destroy them? **

**Find out in tomorrow's EPIC AWESOME update, Chapter Forty-Two: _Vice_!**

**P.S. Shadow's memory is from the manga, and thus is copyright Akira Himekawa. Sorry if the translation's a bit off. x)**


	42. Vice

**Here it comes! The long-awaited Shadow boss fight chapter!**

**Get ready for some intense stuff! (And I don't just mean the fight!) ;)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Two:<strong> Vice

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><p>Crashing down all around them in an instant, blasts and explosions of dark magic were sent flying out towards the heroes from the child of shadows who hovered in the air above them, sending each blast through his palms in a raging torment of darkness. Crying out aloud, the Four Links dove off to the sides as they tried to evade the storm of black magic which was bursting down all around them in furious, powerful pillars of darkness, crashing against the dirt of the graveyard and blasting into smithereens upon impact. The four gathered together in a tight group, holding up their shields collectively against one blast and wincing as they held their own against its force.<p>

"Shadow! Please! We won't fight you!" Green shouted out as loud as he could, raising his voice above the angry roar of the explosions rocking the ground around them.

"Then you will _die!_" screamed back the angry, tormented voice of the child above them, his eyes wide and red in fury, his mouth twisted into a fanged, horrifying snarl as he continued to blast explosion after explosion down upon them. He had not entirely succumbed to the pure darkness within him- behind his raging eyes they could still see the torment and despair ridden along the edges of his sight. However, he had already tapped into the deep sources of sorrow and hate beneath him, using it to fuel his powers as he continued his attacks.

The four of the heroes rose up their shields above and around them, still cringing beneath the blasts as they sought shelter from Shadow's infuriated attacks. Worriedly, they looked at one another, wide-eyed and knowing their time of defense was limited- and quickly running out.

"Green, what do we do?" Red asked, his voice strained and desperate as he looked over at their leader. "We can't fight Shadow!" However, he suddenly cried out in surprise and slight pain as a blast exploded across the surface of his shield, pushing him back and closer to the others with a gasp.

"Red, we don't have much of a choice, do we?-!" Blue shot back, his teeth grit tightly in determination as he held his shield firmly against another blast. "Either we fight back, or we'll be killed!"

The burden of responsibility once more fell on Green's shoulders, and he hesitated for a moment, looking over at Vio with wide eyes. He'd hear everyone's opinion before making his decision.

Vio's eyes were ridden with guilt, anguish, and torn in two, as was his heart. He tried to swallow a lump in his throat, but it refused to go away. Looking up at the shroud of darkness covering Shadow, he gave a shaky sigh as he turned to look towards Green, his sorrow-filled eyes wide in despair. "… I hate to say this, but… Blue's right… If we don't fight back, I'm afraid he truly will…" His voice fell silent as he grit his teeth, closing his eyes and turning back towards his shield.

Green gave a slow nod, also swallowing a knot in his throat which would not leave. "Try not to hurt him," he finally said, after taking a deep breath and looking back up at Shadow, "But defend yourselves. I'm not going to lose _any_ of you to him," he added, gritting his teeth tight as his eyes narrowed in determination and anger.

Blue nodded, quick to differ to Green's decision. "I'll distract him," he snapped, "and take his hits. You guys try and get a good shot at him and bring him down."

Green nodded. "Go!" he agreed, tightening his grip around his shield as he readied for the plan.

Without waiting another second, Blue grit his teeth as he lunged forward, breaking away from the group and holding his shield out tightly in front of him. His burning eyes looked up in anger and resentment at the boy who hovered above them, showering them with a deadly storm of dark magic.

"HEY! Shadow! Come and get _me_!" Blue roared, lowering his shield as he swung out with his sword, bold and unafraid.

Instantly, Shadow's eyes flashed. The strong one… The one who had always been a thorn in his side, pushing past the others with brute strength and using this power to bring all his plans to naught. He was a nuisance- a powerful enemy who needed to be taken care of. The power rose beneath him once more, surging through veins… It was a might he didn't even know he had… yet he hardly needed to think it over as he raised an open-palmed hand towards the impudent hero. A massive beam of black and pulsing dark magic shot out from his hand, aimed straight for the lone Link-

Gritting his teeth and planting his feet firmly on the ground, Blue took the blast firmly with his shield- and as another came, and another, he gasped as he found himself taking staggering steps back, the powerful blasts slamming across his shield and sending jolts of pain through his arm. His eyes were slowly widening in a growing horror. Every blast was stronger than the one before it… where did Shadow get this kind of strength…?

Finally, he cried aloud as the his arm was wrenched to the side by another, even more powerful blast, jerking his shield off his arm and sending him staggering backwards. His shield skittered uselessly to the ground, sliding across the dirt and out of his reach. He'd had some time to recover from his fight with his darkened self earlier, but already all the pain was coming back to him as each blast sent waves of agony through his muscles… He could hardly even stand, his legs and arms were shaking. Each blast he'd taken for the others, but now, he could take no more. He looked up in a quiet fear at Shadow. And as the darkened child began to raise his hands for one, final blast…

"Shadow! Leave Blue alone!"

From aside them, drawing their attention came a loud and pleading cry- and, in an instant, Red had run up from the side, lashing out with a blast of frost from his Ice Rod. Though it pained him to force the freezing magic at their friend, he couldn't just stand there and watch Shadow hurt Blue- and so he watched with narrowed, focused eyes as his powerful blast was sent shooting straight towards Shadow-

Curling his lip into a disgusted, irritated sneer, Shadow lifted the hand, slicing the back of his hand outwards as if swatting at a fly. The pathetic little ball of fear, the one that dared even call himself a hero… He was a wimp, hardly a reasonable target with which to destroy, and so he would be pushed aside to make way for the massacre. Instantly, from the jerk of his wrist blasted a powerful ball of blackened, twisting magic- and as it slammed against the blast of ice from Red's Ice Rod, the duo on the ground could only watch in wide-eyed shock as the two magics began to meld together, twisting and throbbing in an enraged ball of black-and-blue magic as each fought against the other…

And, as the blackness overcome the bright icy-blues of the frost magic, Red suddenly yelped, leaping backwards as his own blast of ice magic was sent flying back towards him. And though he held up his Fire Rod in hopes of melting away the magic- gasping in pain and crying aloud, Red was suddenly and instantly flung back as the icy magic, protected from the flames by a layer of blackened darkness, slammed into his chest, pushing him backwards until he fell on the ground. The darkness which had hit him exploded upon impact- and yet, as its pieces fell to the ground, the darkness once more began to collect together, gathering in a blackened form on the ground and rising above Red once more, hovering over his fallen form and ready to strike…

Suddenly, however, before the blackened shadow of darkness could envelop their fallen hero, it suddenly shook and throbbed as it fell uselessly to the ground, sliced in two by a whirring sound which had flown past and overhead Red in an instant. Twirling swiftly through the air and arcing around to return to its master, Green's Boomerang was recollected sharply in Green's fist as he ran over towards Red, kneeling down by his friend and helping him up. As his arms wrapped around Red's shoulder, pulling him to his feet, his narrowed, blue eyes jerked over towards Shadow.

Shadow stared back, unafraid and undaunted. How could he forget the leader of the little bunch? He was perhaps the most irritating of them all- showing up in places he never needed to, thwarting his plans and always right in the middle of his plans. The classic "hero". And while he was a strong target- much like the bull-headed Link- he held a weak softness in his heart, and for this, Shadow despised him. He would take care of him later.

And though Shadow's glowing red eyes had turned back to Blue, who had managed to retrieve his shield and was running over to aid Green and Red- in an instant, they were drawn quickly to the side once more and he hissed in fury and surprise as an arrow whizzed by his shoulder, the tip of the arrowhead just barely nicking the sleeve of his tunic and slicing through the air in front of him. Standing on the ground, opposite the others and with his bow aimed high in the air, another arrow already docked on its string, was Vio, looking up coldly and emotionlessly up at the child of darkness.

"Stop this, Shadow!" Vio shouted out, his voice twisting in agony and determination, though his bow and aim unwavering. "We don't _have_ to fight!"

Vio… The Link who had betrayed him. Though in his memory, he could not easily distinguish one of them from the other, he knew, with a sudden and sharp pain in his chest, that it was this one who had ruined everything. It was him who had lied to him, twisted around his words and so coldly mocked him at his failure. The one he thought he could _trust_… Rage and agony once more twisted at his chest, and Shadow's eyes grew wide in hatred.

Screaming aloud in all his pain and fury, Shadow whirled around, away from Blue, bringing both his fists beside another as he lashed out at Vio. And yet, though the dark magic burst from his fists like the others had, it was quite unlike the ones before it. Wordlessly, seeing his friend's decision, Vio let another arrow fly off his bow into the darkness- and yet, as it sunk into the blast, it was instantly and utterly destroyed- and Vio's eyes widened, taking a hesitant step backwards, as the blast of shadow approached him- and mutated.

Only inches away from slamming into him, the dark clouds which had been created from Shadow's fingertips rose up above him, swirling around itself furiously and roaring in might. From the billowing, growing clouds of shadow formed a massive set of wide, gaping teeth, hooked and serrated, and behind those teeth were the wide and furious, burning red eyes of a dragon. The beast of shadows, created by the dark magic and formed by its blackness, flapped out from behind it two massive, arced wings, and two pairs of terrible claws reached out from its front, where its snake-like neck met with its deep convex chest.

Vio's eyes were wide in shock and horror. His bow had fallen to his side and he took another step back as the shadow dragon roared once more at him, lunging forward with wide open fangs and arced, slicing claws. It was upon him- and, crying aloud and falling back against the ground, Vio could only lift his arm to his face to protect himself, his shield still strapped around his arm and serving as the only thing between him and the blackness as it advanced upon him.

"VIO!-!-!"

The other three Links cried out their friend's name as they whirled around, wide-eyed, to face where he had been attacked. The black dragon of twisting and pulsing shadows had pinned their friend to the ground with its two massive claws, and its crooked neck was stretched over him, its foul, blackened breath breathing down heavily upon the hero, its lips pulled back in a wide, fanged snarl. And as the Links looked up at the Shadow controlling it, their eyes widened- Shadow's eyes were a blank red, his face stone cold and emotionless and his hands outstretched in front of him… Much like the dragons' were, pinning Vio to the ground. He was controlling the beast like a puppet… Slowly, he raised a hand, and the dragon of darkness towering over Vio likewise raised its own terrible claw, each serrated claw flashing lethally in the black light of the darkness…

Shouting aloud, the three Links whirled around as they ran towards Vio, leaping over top of their friend as one and standing between him and the terrible beast, their swords and shields held out, undaunted and fearless, before the black monster. Shadow's red eyes widened and he hesitated, starting backwards in surprise as he stared at the three heroes before him. However, his shock did not last long- and once more, the snarl made of anger beyond the pain a heart could hold crept across his face, and he leaned forwards, the dragon growing in size as it towered over the four heroes.

The blackened clouds surrounding the dragon had now all but engulfed the arena, surrounding the four heroes in a tight and quickly-moving shroud of darkness. Aside from the harsh tones of black and grey, the only colors shining in the blackness were that of the glowing red eyes of the monster… and his puppet.

Rearing up above them, the dragon once more opened its jaws in a furious roar, the sound like a painful and agonizing scream of unbridled hate and rage. Shadow's fanged sneer looked down at them as he lifted his arms, controlling the strings of his demon as the dragon cornered and towered over the Four Heroes. Having helped up Vio to his feet, the four Links looked up in wide-eyed horror as the dragon descended upon them. They… they had lost. Shadow's power was unlike any they had seen before- his magic had ensnared them in a blackness of twisting shadows and darkness, raining down his anger from above and creating from his darkness a demonic creature, built only from his raw emotions and own powers, which had cornered them and effectively weakened each of them with its might.

"You four pathetic heroes," Shadow hissed as his dragon advanced further upon the Links, his eyes narrowed into glowing, red slits. "Defeated by your own _shadow_. What a pity."

Green grit his teeth. "Defeated… by one of us," he replied calmly and quietly, though his muscles were shaking in ache and exertion as he stood alongside the others, their swords and shields raised. "… By our _friend_."

And slowly, the young Link lowered his sword.

One after another, the three heroes followed in suit, lowering their own swords away from the dragon, and the shadow behind it, and letting them clank uselessly to the ground. Each of them tilted their chins upwards to look past the beast and to the friend behind it- their eyes narrowed in quiet, calm concentration, in pity and in sorrow- in anger, and in defeat.

In the darkness of the shadow-enclosed graveyard, only had the fangs of the monster and its glowing red eyes served as a light in the darkness. And yet, as their swords fell forward, out of their grasps and onto the ground, a sudden light flashed from their blades- the same light which shone in each of their eyes as they looked quietly up at Shadow. And as the light danced across his vision, Shadow's eyes widened in shock. The light which had shimmered off the ends of their blades, glistening in their own eyes… was this… _forgiveness_…?

_Defeated… by __**one of us**__… by our __**friend**__…_

_ Their light… _

"_A shadow…"_

_ His words came in a short, choppy breath as he struggled to find the right things to say, fighting against the light which was slowly growing over him. His eyes were half-open, faint and weak. "Usually only ever follows its body." Those same, red eyes closed in dismay as he continued._

_ "… It never gets to lead the way."_

_ The four standing around him looked at one another with wide, sad eyes of realization. He could see guilt in them, too- but as his eyes opened, a soft smirk played across his face, and he grinned._

_ "But today, I faced the enemy on my own," he added with a grim laugh, the others looking at him in mild surprise. He even felt… relaxed, and he laid his head back, looking upwards towards the light, his voice dry, yet triumphant._

_ "… It felt pretty good."_

_ He thought about it for a moment… it was ironic, actually. The thing that usually only followed and never took charge, had turned everything around and saved them all. Wasn't that something… And yet, his eyes fell lightly, crestfallen, as another thought came into his mind, and formed itself into words._

_ "But that still doesn't make me… part of the body."_

_ His eyes closed, despair clouding his heart. After all the evil he'd done… He wanted to be noticed. All those times others had mocked the shadows, ignored and forgotten them… he wanted to show them all that they were wrong. That he mattered, too. And to his body, that, as a shadow, he was bound to… Always following it, cast along the ground and never tasting the sweet joys of life… the shadow shunned by the light which glowed across the body… _

_ "… Of course it does."_

_ His eyes opened in surprise, looking up at the one who had spoken, breaking him out of his thoughts. They were looking down at him, still… as the body always looked down at its shadow… yet this time, instead of sorrow or guilt, or anger and pain… his eyes were lit up in a bittersweet joy, shining with forgiveness and trust. _

_ "You're __**one of us**__," he said firmly, giving a nod as the others behind him nodded and smiled in agreement. _

_ "You're our __**friend**__!"_

_ Shadow's eyes widened upon hearing their words. It would never be enough… he would always remain a shadow, destined to follow the body where it goes, to be cast in darkness and kept away from the light. Such was the fate of the shadows. And yet… for the light to turn its eyes and its favor upon him… forgive him for the wrong he had done and open its glory to a creature of darkness… Somehow, this struck something deep within his chest, tugging at his heartstrings as he looked up at the heroes- at his __**family**__. _

_ And though the light began to shine over the shadow… His eyes widened in excitement as he felt it come through him, a smile growing over his face. It was no longer the painful light he had always hated, which had always turned itself away from him. It was instead… blessing him… and though he felt himself fade away, his heart was light and his spirit soared. He did not fight the light any longer. For the first time in many long years he could not remember… he felt truly __**happy**__… and at __**peace**__. _

_ As the light travelled through him, breaking apart the shadows of his being, his soul was drawn out of the darkness and into the light._

_ The darkness was leaving him… replacing it with the light…_

_ Vaati's demise-_

_Ganondorf's castle- _

_ Princess Zelda-_

_ Twinrova-_

_ The Heroes-_

And all at once, the light had returned.

Shadow's eyes flew wide open as he staggered back in his cloud of darkness, the swirls of shadow slowly dissipating around him as his form slowly descended back onto the ground. The dragon monster was gone- vanished in an instant. And as his feet touched back on the solid ground, he found he could hardly support his weight- and, gasping, fell to his knees, catching himself with the palms of his hands against the dirt below. His eyes wide as sweat trickled down his forehead, and his gaze jerked back and forth against the dirt below as he frantically went through the thoughts in his mind. There they were… all back… Who he had been, what he had done… The life he had led, the choices he'd made…

The blood in his veins ran cold as his breath was held in his chest. He remembered… _everything_…

A soft clinking sound echoed out across the graveyard, the shadows of darkness gone as the four heroes calmly and quietly bent down, picking back up their swords and looking wide-eyed in confusion at one another, and then back at Shadow.

The realization began to dawn upon him. He forced his eyes shut as the thoughts began to calm down in his mind… and the pieces of the puzzle were finally assembled. Everything made sense, now… His anger had left the arena, but it was not gone. Instead, it now bubbled up inside of him, a red-hot pain of fury at himself.

His eyes opened with a sense, and he looked up from where he knelt on the ground. The four of them were silent as they looked at him- either they didn't know what to say, or they were keeping quiet out of respect. It didn't matter- but what did matter, he thought as he closed his eyes once more, was what he had done- and what he would have to do then.

Quietly, Shadow pushed his foot beneath him as he stood up, taking a step backwards and idly brushing the dirt off his tunic. He looked silently at the others, his gaze returned by their own quite looks… And, gritting his teeth as he swallowed past a tight knot in his throat, Shadow sighed quietly, his eyes closing and his head hanging lightly.

And in an instant, those eyes were suddenly snapped open in surprise as the breath was forced from his chest and he stumbled backwards. His arms had flown open and his gaze was jerked downwards, at the small Link who had run forward, nearly tackling him in a tight hug, wrapping his arms tightly around his chest.

"_SHADOW_! You remember, don't you? You remember us, you really do!" Red squealed, tears brimming at the edges of his eyes as he tightly hugged Shadow, no longer afraid or worried.

Shadow's face became twisted in a reluctant, surprised look as he lightly curled his lip, taking a step back and pushing the Link off of him, giving him a reproachful look. Grinning sheepishly, Red took a step back- but still, his eyes were wide and bright as he looked incredulously at their friend.

"Shadow… do you… do you really remember everything?" Green asked quietly, curiously, his voice calm, yet his own eyes widening in surprise. He took a daring step forward.

Shadow grit his teeth as his lips were pulled back and he took a hesitant step backwards.

"Don't… don't come near me…"

Ah… he understood. Blue's face fell in a quiet sadness- it was much like Green had been in the Water Temple, when the others told him of what he'd done. The guilt of fighting against his own friends… Now that Shadow remembered everything, and realizing what he'd done… Trying to manage a smile, Blue took a step forward alongside Green, saying calmly and with a laugh, "Oh, dry up, Shadow. Good to see you again, too."

Vio's face had fallen lightly as Shadow took a step back. So he did remember everything… but would that change anything? Obviously, Shadow was still trying to deal with the rush of memories flooding him all at once… He frowned as he joined the others, stepping forward and speaking calmly. "Shadow-"

Yet he was hardly able to get more than a word out before he was interrupted, and blinked, wide-eyed with a start.

"Enough."

Shadow looked up at them through his cast-over, darkened bangs, his red eyes narrowed slightly in pain and a sort of reluctant fury.

"… I will keep my promise."

The Links looked at each other in confusion- but Shadow spoke again, raising his hands as a soft, almost weak cloud of shadow magic began to form around his fingers.

"… You are free to go to the castle. Now leave me."

"Shadow, we said it earlier, we're not going anywhere without you!" Green said firmly, his eyes wide and pleading.

"You remember everything now, why won't you go with us?" Red whined, sniffing in sorrow. "We're… still friends, right?"

"Come on, Shadow, don't give us that!" Blue snapped angrily, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "You know damn well we're not leaving, not unless you're coming with us!"

Vio grit his teeth, swallowing past a lump in his throat. "You don't have to do this, Shadow," he tried to speak calm and quiet, though his voice shook with sorrow as he realized what was going to happen- and knowing they were powerless to stop it.

"I wasn't _asking_," Shadow replied calmly, keeping his voice steady as the shadow magic around his hands began to build. "And… I won't forget what I've done- or the decision I've _made_."

And though the four heroes cried out his name and took a pleading step forward, Shadow closed his eyes against it, looking away and raising his hands. The black magic grew outwards from his palms- and in an instant, it had enveloped the heroes, freezing them in their place and shrouding them in darkness. They fought- but to no avail. For when Shadow finally lowered his hands and looked back with pained eyes at where they had once stood, only the wisps of the black magic's remnants still floated in the air in front of him, the heroes taken away.

And once more, the young child of shadows was alone in the silent graveyard, with little else but the light wind blowing at his side.

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><p><strong>Tomorrow's update continues the saga with Chapter Forty-Three: <em>Revelation<em>!**


	43. Revelation

**This chapter's been a long time in the works, and it's ready to finally come and reveal everything. **

**Get ready for a bunch of surprising twists and turns in this epic, dramatic installment of Shadow's saga! **

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Three:<strong> Revelation

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><p>They had only been gone but a few minutes when Shadow finally let the mirage within and around him loosen, his eyes closing and his chest heaving in a slow, deep exhale as he let go. All around him, the image of the graveyard began to fade… and as the light shimmered through the illusion, slowly but surely the mirage of what had been there was gone, the endless forest surrounding it replaced by reality, the tombstones all around him disappearing as what was rightfully there now stood in their place. He wasn't even sure where he had found the place of the graveyard- created from something deep within him, a distant memory or perhaps a feeling he'd yet to discover- but he was all too ready now to let it go.<p>

And as the reality of where he was, and what he'd done, dawned all around him and finalizing into their solid forms, the child of shadows gave a calm, deep sigh as his eyes opened- and he looked around at the lush, peaceful green forest around him. Stone ruins bordered the edges of his vision, and as he took a calm step back, his feet crunching lightly against the wet grass and fallen leaves, he let his gaze scan all around him, until he had once more taken in the familiar landscape around him.

In the silence of the forest, surrounded by the giant trees as they cast their peaceful shadows over the clearing, Shadow once more turned to face the pedestal at its center- looking with a quiet, bitter sadness at the centerpiece of the peaceful and holy Four Sword Sanctuary.

… He had no more questions. He knew who he was… who he had been, and what choices had taken him down the path he was currently on. Slowly, his steps shuffling across the grass and lightly clapping against the stone, the child approached the empty pedestal, climbing up the few steps until he stood in front of it, looking down at its empty slit- and somehow feeling that, despite the fullness of his mind, there was an empty slit somewhere deep within him, as well.

His eyes closed as he let his mind wander.

Firstly… the heroes. They were all Link… but they were all different, too. Individuals- with personalities ranging far and wide, their strengths and weaknesses balanced out to create the perfect team of heroes. He'd fought against them before this- before he knew them as who they were. When he only saw them as selfish, spoiled children of the light shunning the dismayed shadows of darkness. And when he learned more of them, by watching the Princess… When the time of forgiveness came, he had been ready to accept it.

And then the second time he'd faced them, though he had been tortured beyond humanity and imprisoned for his treason, so he'd stayed true to his traitorous ways. He'd sided with the light, despite all the teasing and taunting and mocking of the so-called King of Darkness. Why had he done so? There were two reasons, for him. The first was the fragile young girl who had once shown him a different side to his heart- the Princess. He could now remember exactly who she was, what she looked like and when they had first met… How she had despised him, for everything he was- and everything he was not. And yet, in his time of greatest weakness, she alone had shown her heart to him. And for that… he could not look away from her. From the light that shone out of her and blessed itself upon him…

And then there was the second reason. The Princess had opened his eyes to the light… and the Heroes had opened his heart to their friendship. He'd only known them briefly before his first death at the demise of the Dark Mirror… and how he had hated them. Everything they stood for, mocked his very existence. And yet, by looking through her eyes, he'd seen that they were not what he'd thought them to be. They merely fought for what they treasured and held dear- something he understood and could respect. Something he had been doing all along- if only from opposite sides. And the second time around, he'd kept cold and distant to them, trying to keep from becoming friends as he instead urged them on in their escapade to free the Princess. After all- that was all that had mattered to him. Not any foolish emotions or thoughts of partnership.

Yet… The bravery and dedication that each of them had shown in the two subsequent fights they became embroiled in, as a team… They worked together, pulled their own strength and helped each other when another fell. And there he'd been, standing and fighting alongside them as if he'd always been there- as if it were only right that he was. As each of them put themselves in harm's way for the others, so they had done for him, without a second's thought or hesitation. Had they once stopped to think about who he had been, what he had done? No… And even then, when he urged them to forget him and to focus on what was really important- the Princess, and the light- they had stayed, for him. For... for their _friend_.

His thoughts stopped momentarily as he felt something well up in his throat. Clenching his teeth and bowing his head lightly, the child took a deep, shaky breath as he swallowed past it- though it did not go away. Instead, at his attempt to force it down, it rose up even stronger, worse than before as it shook his entire being. His eyes were squeezed shut, angrily keeping the stinging sensation from beneath from coming to fruit, and his fists were clenched tightly at his sides with the effort.

He had been _happy_ to die back then, damnit… Why was he brought back? And why had he been stripped of the knowledge of who he'd been? He would never have… Would he…? Hus eyes, relieved of the pressure for a moment, blinked open in confusion. Would he have made the same decisions? Faced with what he'd gone through, yet with his past self intact? The question had surprised him at first, but as the lump returned to his throat, he realized the answer was simple- no, of course he wouldn't have. He would have fought Veran and Onox, just like he'd fought Ganondorf, and then returned to the Hero's side to aid them in their fight, in their bid to rescue the Princess and restore light to their land.

So… why? Why had he been put through all of this, to end up making the wrong decision, going down the wrong path from which he could not turn back?

He could no longer stay standing. Gently, shakily, he bent down to his knees, resting back against his bent legs and looking down at the engravings on the pedestal before him. Without realizing what he was doing, he lifted his hand, gently brushing it across the negative embossment that read, in Hylian letters, what had taunted him throughout his entire existence.

"The One divides to Four… The Four unite as One."

His voice choked up bitterly as he spoke the words aloud to the wide, empty silence of the surrounding woods. There would always just be four… four of the body, and one lone shadow, always fated to follow, trailing silently behind. Though he had been free to make his decisions… whether he had chosen wrong or right… it was no longer with them. His hand, still resting against the smooth, gravelly surface of the pedestal, lightly slid off the side of the rock, falling limply to his side. Again, he wondered- was his choice the right one, or the wrong one? And if it were right, who was it right for- himself, or everyone else? And which one dictated the circumstances of his choosing?

_Well… whatever it is…_ his thoughts chided him as he closed his eyes. _It's already been made. There's no turning back. … There's no forgetting… or forgiving… what I've done._

There was nothing else he could do. Gritting his teeth and forcefully pushing away the painful thoughts in his mind and the rising knot in his throat, Shadow sighed as he stood back up on his feet, lightly dusting off the palm of his hand on the side of his tunic. There was no longer any reason for him to be here anymore. And with this final thought in his head, the child of darkness sighed as he turned around, away from the pedestal, ready to walk down the steps and away from the Sanctuary one final time.

And yet, as soon as he turned around, his eyes widened and blinked in silent surprise at what he saw in front of him, stopping him coldly in his tracks. His chin was tilted slightly up as he looked at what was there- and, as always, those ever-watching, wise, yellow eyes stared back at him from atop the pillars of the Sanctuary.

The owl was silent for a moment as Shadow started in surprise upon seeing him- though, as his feathers ruffled lightly at his side and his talons readjusted their hold on the stone beneath them, the bird lightly tilted its head, keeping its focused gaze on the child below.

"… You have learned quite a lot, haven't you?"

Shadow's eyes closed painfully as Kaepora spoke. His words were calm and kind, knowing and gentle- as they had always been. The owl had always known who he had been, and had always been pushing him in the right direction. He'd been there for him when no one else had- when the heroes themselves were opposed to him, when he could not find solace even within his own tormented mind. And he had failed him- all of the wise bird's advice and company had been for naught. For in the end… he had chosen wrong.

Kaepora's voice came again.

"… And yet… there is still one thing you have yet to learn."

The child could feel his teeth grinding inside his mouth, the hot fury once more rising up in his chest. Was he mad at himself… or the bird? Its words had once more stirred the pain and anger inside him, and he looked away, not caring to hear the rest of what he had to say.

"None of it matters anymore," Shadow responded, his voice quiet and bitter, casting his gaze away from the owl and out throughout the trees.

A soft fluttering sound forced Shadow's eyes to once more look in front of him, looking down and following the noise as Kaepora's wings beat gracefully through the air, landing the owl on the stone steps in front of him. With a huff, Shadow crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"What do you want?" he snapped, irritated by the owl's persistence.

And yet, surprising the boy by the slight change in demeanor, the owl gave a good-natured chuckle, looking up with lit-up eyes at the child.

"I'm sure I've told you once before," the owl hooted, its chest puffing out slightly in pride, "But I _am_ a messenger, after all. …And it's time I delivered my final message to you."

Shadow raised an eyebrow in confusion and surprise. He took a hesitant step backwards as he once more grit his teeth in irritancy, grumbling beneath his breath, "What are you talking about, you stupid bird…"

"We've been over this," Kaepora sighed with a huff, "I'm an _owl_! And a very wise one at that, I'll have you know," he added rather proudly, puffing up his chest. At his actions, even Shadow couldn't help as the corners of his lips pulled back in a small, wry smirk.

It was just what Kaepora had been waiting for- what he wanted to see. His wings rustled comfortably by his side as he took a step backwards, his talons clinking overtop the stone ground and his eyes looking up at Shadow- almost as if his eyes themselves could smile. And as Shadow looked back at him, the owl spread his wings out wide, across either side of him, bringing each tip wide up in a spread on either side of him. Shadow was quiet and calm, though his eyes slightly wide in surprise and confusion, as he watched the owl's wings spread out- and in an instant, his talons left the stone beneath him as his great form rose up into the sky, pushed upwards by the mighty beats of his wings. However, he did not fly too high- and, stopping above the child, the owl hovered in place for a moment, its gaze still focused on the child…

And, with the same smile from before lighting up his eyes, the wise messenger tucked his wings close against his body as he dove back downwards to the child on the stone. And though Shadow's eyes flew open in sudden surprise and he took a step back- he had time for little else, for in that instant, the owl had already reached him- and, as soon as it came upon him, so its wings had burst open once again, the feathers making heavy rustling sounds against the wind as they covered his sight, drowning everything in the ruffling sounds of a breeze and a faint, glowing light.

He had taken a step back, throwing up an arm to his face- but as the light had grown, so his eyes had shut tight against it, wincing at the sudden and unexpected flash which had illuminated his world, blinding him temporarily. However, as it began to lessen, so he lowered his arm, wearily blinking his eyes open as he tried to get them used to the light. His eyes were jerking back and forth as he looked for the damned owl that had tried to dive-bomb him- yet as the light began to fade in intensity, it still remained as a calm and effervescent presence, masking the rest of the world away from its view and covering it in the still, calm lighting.

"… Kaepora?" Shadow called out, his eyebrows raising in confusion- and also a light worry beginning to creep over him. The light covered everything in a dreary haze, so he could no longer see where he was- much less a few feet in front of him. He snarled in frustration, gritting his teeth and snapping, "Come on, _Feathers_, this isn't funny!" Where the hell am I?-!"

His eyes continued to drift around him as he spoke, trying to make some sense of just where he'd been taken to… And yet, he started in surprise, stopping in his tracks as he stared at a far-off spot in the distance, where a faint smudge of blackness was beginning to approach the light… He squinted his eyes, looking curiously ahead… the spot of darkness was growing… invading the light…

And all at once, his eyes widened as his heart stopped- with no warning at all, the light had suddenly gone out- blasted away into smithereens by the darkness which had burst through it. And before he could even manage to take a step backwards- his red went wide in shock- it had hurtled towards the child, and in an instant, had devoured him as well, plunging his entire world back into the darkness.

…

_…_

_It was time…_

… _time for him to complete his mission…_

_He could think of nothing else. He was meant for nothing else- created for this sole purpose. There was no other reason for why he was there- and no other purpose he had to serve, but what he must do._

_He was a soulless, dark creature of shadows, created by the God of shadows himself. He held no remorse, no fear, no emotions- and thus he was the perfect subject for this mission. The darkness was all around him, yes- but slowly, he was beginning to see a light at the end of his trail._

_The being who he was hissed in pain, flinching back lightly at the mere sight of the far-off light. The accursed light… he hated it so. Why should he not? He was born for its sole opposite purpose, created to hate it and knowing only its oppression. And yet, he had little other choice. Choice was not even a matter for him- he had his orders. The darkness in him spread as he urged himself onwards, creeping through the tunnel towards the growing, holy light. _

_Soon, it was cast over his entire being. The shadow creature without a form continued to hiss and growl in the pain as the light glazed over his surface, his blood-red eyes, thirsty and malicious, continuing to stare firmly at his target ahead. The darkness was gone, far behind him, as the lone assassin went in for his mission into the light. _

_And in front of him stood his target._

_The faint sounds of rushing water ran all around him, spurting out gracefully of a gold-and-silver decorated fountain in the center of the dome-capped room and running through the tunnel behind him. _

_The fountain was of little importance to him. What drew his bloodthirsty vision upwards was what instead lay in its center, hovering above them in a golden ball of light. It was a glistening, yellow-white orb of pure brightness, cascading around him like the waters in an outpouring of grace and majesty. Its light was pure and holy- and, as it grazed across his darkened skin, he hissed and shriveled backwards in pain. _

_The graceful eyes of a Goddess opened to him, her head turning towards the unexpected newcomer. She sat in the midst of the ball of light as a glistening blade was created before her- a blade of white metal and a golden hilt, taking in all the glory of its creation. _

_Suddenly, something began to ache deep within the shadow. It was unlike the physical pain of the light against his darkened being- instead, it came from within him, and ate at him from the inside out. His eyes widened as her glory spilled over him- her wisdom and her light, shining outwards in a holy blessing to all who were present- including the assassin sent to destroy her. _

… _Had he a choice?_

… _Yes, he did. He always had a choice._

_He'd been created as a creature of shadows and darkness, void and empty. Yet upon seeing her light, being touched by her grace and the forgiveness shining in her saddened eyes… something had grown within him. His choice had always been there- but this was something new. _

_Wordlessly, the shadow turned his back on his target, his narrowed eyes instead now focused on the darkness from whence he came. He could feel the rage of his master, hear his screams and bellowing roars of fury- for the shadow had betrayed its master. But he was not a shadow for nothing- and so his master was not a God for nothing, either. _

_A blast of darkness rushed past him in an instant from the tunnel where he'd come, and though the creature of darkness roared and fought against it, pushing back in his efforts to keep the Goddess behind him safe and untouched… _

_But it was for naught. He was thrown aside, shouting aloud in pain as the powerful darkness of his creator burst past him, hurtling through the passageway and slicing through the orb of light above the peaceful fountain. Groaning as he lifted his head from the wall against which he'd been thrown, the creature wearily blinked his red eyes open as he watched the scene before him unfold…_

… _The darkness was strong as it fought against the Goddess…_

… _But she was stronger._

_Her calm, loving eyes of peace had turned on the shadows as they attacked- and though her frown became saddened and remorseful, so she did not hesitate to do what was needed to protect her creation. The light rose up and pushed against the darkness- and as it blinded the entire room in an instant flash, so even the shadow creature himself was forced to cringe and hide his eyes before the terrifying and painful light._

… _And when it had finally faded…_

_The creature of shadows blinked open his eyes, then widened them in shock._

_His God was gone. The darkness had been banished- the light had stood firm and unyielding, and had conquered the malicious God's attack upon her creation. She stood, unharmed, in her orb of light above the fountain- and slowly, her eyes turned towards him. The shadow felt himself become smaller against the wall where he'd fallen- surely, he would now be destroyed, as his creator had been before him. _

_And yet…_

_As her eyes looked over him, he felt not betrayed, nor ashamed, nor hurt or in pain… but as a soft, sad smile came over the Goddess' face, her warmth and love poured over him, once more rising that feeling in his chest- one that had before served as a pain for him, yet now felt like the greatest blessing one could ever receive._

"_Creature of shadows…"_

_He was being spoken to- by the Goddess herself. Humbled, he pushed himself to a stand, looking up at her benevolence as she continued._

"… _You have taught me much."_

_His eyes widened in surprise. Her smile widened, and she turned to face him with a warm glint in her eyes._

"_A dark being of the shadows, created by the God of Darkness himself… Yet you broke away and made your own decision." Her words were lyrical and melodious, soft and soothing- full of warmth and pride. And yet, in her glory, the sound of her voice almost sounded as if she were honored to be in the being's presence, rather than the other way around. The shadow bowed his head before her, and, her expression becoming calm and serious, she went on._

"_You brought your darkness to the light… and so forever more will my creations hold that darkness, deep inside their hearts."_

_His head snapped open in shock at this. He opened his mouth as if to speak- but no words came out, and he instead shut his mouth, still looking up in confusion and shame. Had he cursed all of her creations with his presence? However, this shame was soon dashed away as the Goddess of Light smiled once more, graciously bestowing her warmth upon his form._

"_Yet… as you also brought your choice to the light… so they shall always know their own free will. Despite your darkness, you turned towards the light- your free will was just and right. It shall not be forgotten upon my children."_

_Darkness… his choice… were they really to play such an important part of the Goddess' future? Of her creations, of the world she had yet to build? And yet, as she smiled once more at him, despite all the darkness he was made of, he smiled back. _

"_I bless you now, little shadow," the Goddess spoke, raising her head and turning her eyes towards the heavens, those eyes softly closing as the light grew around her. "For you shall always remain a part of what is most sacred. Receive it now- and know that, while the darkness may always be a part of your being… your choices shall always remain your own."_

_The light was growing, radiating from her form and towards him… Shakily, the shadow took a step forward. What did she have planned for him…? And yet, as the light began to grow over him, warming the dark shadow with its light… He closed his eyes, once more finding a smile on his face. Whatever it would be… he was ready for it. _

"_Sleep, child of darkness… O Being of Light and Shadow… Sleep, and awaken when you are needed again."_

_His eyes were closing. His time as this pure creature of darkness was also coming to a close… and as the light spread around him, blessing him and pouring its wisdom and glory over him, so he felt himself succumb to its benevolence. He would be reborn… And in this new life, he would once again have decisions to make. But with a part of the light still inside him, a gift from the magnificent Goddess herself… He would always know which choice he would make._

_Shadow closed his eyes as peace finally overcame him, as the Goddess' blessing sent him into a slumber and merged him as one with the soul of her hero. _

_And when the light finally faded, so he drifted away into his sleep._

_…_

…

Slowly, Shadow opened his eyes.

He had finally awoken.

His eyes went from side to side as he took in his surroundings. They were the same from before- he stood in the center of the Four Sword Sanctuary, with the gentle wind blowing through the tops of the trees and rustling the fallen leaves on the floor below. And yet, as he blinked and turned his eyes upwards- there was not a glimpse in the sky of the tawny, large owl. He wasn't sure when he'd left- but he was no longer there. Instead, Shadow was left alone to his thoughts.

… It was a memory he never knew he had. He always knew he'd been created by the God of Darkness, drawn out of the Dark Mirror as a reflection to the Heroes. But this… this was much more than he had ever thought. To think that he had been that same shadow who, so long ago, had faced the Goddess as her enemy- and turned upon his creator to save the light from peril. And her blessing…

He lifted his hand to his face, turning it around and studying it lightly. This was her blessing. To become part of what she said would always be sacred- to be a part of the Four Sword Hero. No… that wasn't right. There were not just four of them- there were _five_. None had known about him, for he had never awoken until he had been drawn out from the Mirror. The Goddess had created her hero when he had arrived- yet she had bound his soul to his, upon his decision.

And as he closed his eyes, his hand falling to his side, he went through the cherished memory one last time- reciting aloud one of the last things she had spoken to him.

"…Know that, while the darkness may always be a part of your being… your choices shall always remain your own."

His voice surprised him- no longer was it shaky or quiet, morose and calm. Instead, it had risen out of him like a great force- he said it aloud and firm, confident and unafraid. Shadow's eyes opened as he tilted his chin up to look back into the sky, a restored confidence and light surging through his chest. His teeth were clenched together in determination- yet as the light of the sun shone down upon him and glinted against his sight, his lips pulled upwards in a wide, assured grin.

His choices… would _always_ be his to make.

* * *

><p><strong>Shadow's true identity has finally been revealed to him- and to you guys, too! ;D Weren't expecting me to pull something like that, huh?<strong>

**Anyways, I have a bit of news: Over the next few days I'll be moving back into my college dorm apartment. Due to this, I'll have very little time to write. So please understand that Forty-Four may not be coming tomorrow, maybe not even the next day. HOWEVER! Also please know this: I've come this far, forty-three chapters and some 205k words with this story, I have absolutely_0_ intent to stop now. The story WILL go on- and I WILL update as soon as I possibly can. :) **

**Thank you guys so much for your continued support! ^_^ Ya'll are awesome! **


	44. Unification

**Hey guys!**

**I know it's been almost two and a half weeks since the last upload, and I'm sorry a million times over for the delay. Life has gotten way more hectic than I thought, and I'm doing everything I can just to keep my head above water.**

**HOWEVER!**

**Like I've always said, I'm not going to abandon this fic, or all of you awesome readers. I'm going to see this thing through to the end, if it kills me!**

**So get ready for the next installment, forty-four, right here- right now! :D**

**Yup, like always- ENJOY! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Four:<strong> Unification

* * *

><p>Darkness had overcome them- and yet, almost as soon as it had come, so it was very soon gone from their sight, and light had taken its place. The light of the sun, bright and blessed, shone down upon the Four Heroes, causing them to blink in the sudden change of brightness, adjusting their eyes to the new light- and their new surroundings. And though each of them were silent and no words were exchanged between them, their feelings were enough, and each shared the other's sorrow as they looked around them at the familiar, grassy hills they had been walking over not so long ago. In the distance, past the forest-green brush and the deep, mahogany oaks, the white stone-towers of Hyrule Castle were glistening proudly, their peaks aimed towards the bright, morning sky.<p>

Finally, the silence was broken by a calm and quiet voice.

"… We should get going."

The three of them looked with surprised, saddened eyes over at their leader, whose head hung loosely between his shoulders, his crestfallen- yet firm- eyes trailing across the ground. With another deep, shaky sigh, Green looked back up towards the castle, then back towards his teammates.

"Shadow… he's made his decision," he finally said, choking past his words and looking back out across the hills. "… We should be grateful that he's okay now. But we can't wait any longer."

Slowly, the other three gave saddened, yet agreeing nods of their own.

"We've done all we can do for him," Vio said solemnly, looking sadly at the other three. "Now… we must do what we need to do," he finished, taking a deep breath and also looking back towards the castle.

Finally, Blue gave a nod, clenching his teeth tightly together and looking away from the others. "At least we're not on opposite sides anymore," he finally said, the ends of his lips tugging upwards in a wry, half-hearted grin. "Shadow was the worst enemy we've ever had to face- I wouldn't want to go through _that_ again."

The others gave light smiles at their friend's attempt at a joke, each trying to lighten the mood. However, Red's face grew sullen as he sighed and nodded, pointing out with a morose look, "Though to be honest… I would rather have him as a friend." His head hung sadly as he looked away- but as a hand came to rest on his shoulder, he gave a soft smile, looking up to see Blue silently comforting his smaller friend.

Wordlessly, the Four exchanged nods, shouldering their swords and shields and once more turning to set upwards across the hills. The sorrow each of them felt at the choice their friend had made was nearly overwhelming- but despite it all, at the center of each of their hearts, they knew they had a job to do. And not just a job- but a fate, a destiny. A responsibility greater than any child their age could ever ask for, or ask to be spared from- wielding the sacred blade of light, it was their task to defeat the two villains of darkness which had threatened their home. And with or without the help of their friend… they would have to carry on.

As their feet continued onwards their trek, the walls of the castle grew larger and larger in their sights until it took up a panoramic view across their vision. However, though the tops of the towers glistened their regular white as they had from far away, the rest of the castle's stones were nearly indiscernible through the pulsing, black-and-red opaque barrier which towered above them, wrapping around the entity of the castle and barricading the outside world from it. The magic which made up its entity was constantly swirling and sparking around the barrier, swarming around as a vicious and threatening wall between the protected walls of the enemy's lair to the outside world.

Once more, the Four Heroes looked at one another as each of them unsheathed their blades. Across their faces was written a deep sadness and pain- for each of them had been forced to walk through the wreckage that was their home of Hyrule Town, passing through its burned down streets in order to reach the main gate of the castle. What Veran and Onox had done was unforgivable- and the terrifying sights, through which they had borne together as a team, only urged them more so on their journey, more determined than ever to defeat the foul villains which had pervaded their peaceful lives.

However, once again breaking through their sorrows came Blue's bold, unafraid grin. This was soon followed by Red's bright smile, his face shining in wide-eyed hope- and as Vio calmly and quietly nodded his head to them all, a soft, knowing smirk growing on his face, so Green joined their renewed faith with a smile of his own, full of restored faith and confidence. No more words needed to be said to one another- they knew what they had to do, what they would do- and they would do it as a team.

One by one, the four heroes slowly raised their swords high in front of them, the tips glistening against the bright sun as they were aimed for the malicious invasion of dark magic, the last barrier which separated them from the completion of their goal. After all their trials and adventures, they had come this far… And as the final wall which stood in their way, they were not about to back down. Their faces were hardened in seriousness and determination, their statures firm and resolute, unwavering and unyielding, as they stood together as one team, their four glistening, white swords held against the darkness of the red-and-black wall.

And as they stood together, for forces united as one, the tips of their blades began to glow in a soft, white light… the aura began to spread, and as the glow reached the hilts of their own swords, surrounding the blade in a white glow, four separate colors began to radiate from each of the swords. The heroes looked with wide eyes at the jewels sitting in each of their hilts- as their respective colors, each of the four jewels began to glow a radiant and bright color- blue, red, green, and violet- until the glow was nearly as bright as the white light surrounding their swords.

Almost as soon as the four colored lights reached their brightest glow, merging with the white aura around their swords, the light instantly burst from the tips of the four swords, as one massive beam of light- and in a spectacular, powerful blast of energy, the light rocketed against the massive barrier of darkness, its energy slamming into the negative and dark energy of the barrier. And yet, the Four Sword Heroes held their blades strong and firm, their eyes widened in concentration and the grips on their hilts tight, as the beam of light, drawn together from the four swords and blasting away at the dark magic in front of them, continued to fight against the dark magic of the wall.

And yet, almost as soon as the white light had laid siege to the darkness surrounding the castle, so the darkness had fought back just as hard- and as the brightness from the swords pushed against the dark, black-and-red pulsing energy of the wall, so the two sides became engrossed in a bright and flaming war. The blackness fought back with all its might- the magic warped outwards across the wall as it tried to protect the barrier from the invasion of light, and as it fought against the beam of light from the Four Swords, so the Heroes which held the blades felt themselves tiring and growing weary, their arms and muscles shaking from the exertion of holding their lights against the resisting darkness.

His teeth were grit against the two opposing magic as each of them wreaked their havoc upon him and his friends, and though his eyes were narrowed into slits in fierce determination, he could still feel his muscles beginning to ache and quiver, sweat beading down his neck and raspy breaths coming from his chest. The dark magic was fighting back… it was powerful, violent and angry, and through its magic bursts it sent back against the single blast of white light, it was attacking all of them… Relentlessly pushing against their own valiant light… Blue gasped once more as he grit his teeth, holding his arms firm and shouting to the others, "How much longer do we have to hold this?-!"

"I… I don't know!" Green gasped, him too staggering back ever so slightly as the war of light versus dark was also taking its toll on him. His sword, glistening in a bright, white light like the other three beside him, continued to hold strong and contribute to the single blast of white light fighting against the darkness… but his own strength was beginning to leave him, being drained by the force the dark magic was pushing back against him… His vision was becoming clouded, and he closed his eyes tight, trying to shut out any thoughts of despair or doubt. There was no time for that- that wasn't what they had come for. He bit back his fears and shouted out once more. "Just _hold on_!"

"Only a bit longer, guys!" Red shouted out, as trying to sound as encouraging and cheerful as he could- but he too was leaning into the fight, both hands wrapped tightly around the hilt of his glowing blade as he fought and pushed against the darkness which was still holding its own against their light. His face was contorted and twisted in pain, effort, and determination- the force of the darkness was fighting back, swirling maliciously all around them and roaring in fury and madness. It was almost too much for him to bear- nearly overwhelming him. But no… he wouldn't give up. Taking another deep breath, Red tightened his grip on his sword, holding on despite the pain. He would not give up.

Vio was gasping for breath, his hand shaking on its grip on his Four Sword. Though at first he had held it with one hand, as the pain and pressure grew of the dark forces pushing against the beam of light the four of them had summoned, his other hand had almost immediately went to assist the other, grasping the hilt as tightly as he could. He kept his stance firm and his arms steady as he held his blade- but his wide eyes could not help but look at the intense battle waging before them. The brightness had been growing, growing larger and larger until it was all they could see… the light all around them, and the darkness pushing them further and further back. "Don't…" he gasped as he tried to call out to the others, still pushing against the darkness as it grew over them…

"… Don't give up…!"

The Four Links were now shouting aloud as one voice, the darkness of the black magic starting to overwhelm them and grow over the light. They stood firm and strong as one team, still fighting against the darkness with the light from their swords, but as they held firm against it and shouted, so the black magic continued to creep over them… And in one final burst, as if making to finish them off, so the black magic rose up all around them, its flame swirling out viciously and hungrily, lunging down so as to devour the Four Heroes once and for all.

And as the Four Sword Heroes looked up with wide eyes, still holding their swords yet unable to stop the encroaching darkness as it spilled over them-

With a loud explosion from behind them, followed quickly by an energetic laugh, the darkness was suddenly pushed back away from them, as a blast of blackened energy shot from behind the heroes towards the throbbing, pulsing magic of the barrier. Though the Heroes kept their grips tight on their swords, with wide eyes they looked quickly to the side at what had saved them- and their jaws dropped at what they saw.

Wearing a wide, mischievous grin and laughing as he did so, Shadow landed down gracefully from the sky above them, his fists still smoking from the blast of magic he'd sent at the dark magic, and his own powers swirling all around him in an energetic rage. His eyes glinted as he looked to the side at the others- and still flashing his trademark fanged grin, he sneered with a laugh, "You _jerks_, you started without me!"

Without waiting for a response, his hands, still smoking, lashed out in front of him as he shot another blast of his dark magic towards the waging war of light and darkness ahead. And yet, though his own black powers added to the darkness, it was far from contributing to the evil's might- and instead, slowly, it was being pushed back, overwhelmed by the five forces attacking it at once.

Cheering and laughing, wide grins replacing their shocked faces, the Four Links nodded eagerly towards their friend as he stood alongside them, adding his energy to theirs as they fought against the magic barrier.

"You're _late_, moron!" Blue shouted back with a loud laugh, though his smile also stretched across his face with renewed energy and confidence. His chest swelled up with pride- he knew it, he _knew_ Shadow wouldn't leave them- he was too stubborn. His grin spread at this thought, and his bold and unafraid eyes jerked back towards the barrier, taking a forceful step forward and holding his sword out forcefully in front of him. They could do this!  
>"Sorry, Shadow, but we're glad you're back!" cheered a boisterous and cheerful Red, nearly bouncing in place, hardly able to contain his excitement upon seeing Shadow return and add his power to theirs. All of the pain he'd felt earlier had gone- and, his heart lifting at the sight of the five of them standing side-by-side, fighting against the darkness, Red grinned as he held his sword higher than he had before, ready to end the battle of light versus darkness and finish it, once and for all.<p>

"We'll have no chance of losing, now!" Vio's eyes glinted as he returned the laughter and encouraging shouts of his friends, looking over to Shadow as their friend stood alongside them, fighting by their side. Shadow returned his gaze- and the two friends shared a quiet nod of understanding, exchanging a single smile, before once more looking back towards the fray, their faces hardened in determination and their actions serious as they continued to fight against the darkness of the magic barrier.

"Let's finish this _together_!" Green replied quickly to Shadow's remark, last to speak, though his grin stretching from ear to ear, possibly wider than all the others'. is grip tightened even harsher on the hilt of his blade as the determination and faith once more rose up powerfully within him at the return of their friend. How he had ever lost faith or confidence in Shadow, he wasn't even sure- but he was back, and that was all that mattered- that, and defeating this darkness, as a team!

The powers of the five rose and grew as each sent their strengths outwards, the Heroes across their conjoined beam of light and the Shadow in his own powerful, steady stream of dark magic. The light and darkness merged together as one- and as it pushed against the empty, pulsating blackness of the opaque black-and-red barrier, slowly it was beginning to emerge triumphant- and, as the darkness finally began to give, so almost in an instant had it nearly disappeared from view. And in the instant following it-

Dousing the world in a waterfall of light, the barrier vanished in seconds as it was broken down by the light which had finally prevailed over it, disintegrating in the brightness until there was nothing left. Slivers of light rained down from all around them as the powerful, holy light slowly began to fade, and the five heroes, who had raised their hands over their eyes to shield them from the light, once more began to blink open their eyes and look upon what they had accomplished.

No longer was the black and red, magical gate standing in front of them- instead, clear and open to their view, stood the white, glistening towers of Hyrule Castle. The black magic protecting its inhabitants was gone- and as the heroes lowered their swords, each of them stared in triumph and in awe at the cleared path, ready for them to carry on.

None of them spoke for a moment- but suddenly, the sound of shuffling steps drew their attention, and the four sets of blue eyes looked to the side as the last of them slowly began to take a few, calm steps forward, stopping a few feet in front of them.

Shadow's arms were crossed, yet he smirked lazily as he gazed out towards the castle, no longer hidden behind the magic of the gate. He laughed as he shook his head, the black locks of his hair falling over his eyes.

"… Jeez, I knew you guys needed my help, I didn't know it was _this_ badly," he teased with another laugh and fanged grin as he turned around to face the four once more, his devilish yet triumphant eyes looking at them with restored confidence and-

"Shadow!-!"

He'd hardly had a moment to react- barely blinking his eyes in surprise before they had all rushed him, laughing and jumping and cheering and shouting as they crowded around him, hugging him from all angles. Caught off-guard and slightly stammering, he took a step back- but could do no more underneath the four of them, who had surrounded him in their giant hug, laughing and talking excitedly about how he was back.

Shadow sighed, gritting his teeth and tolerating it for a few seconds more. However, when they still didn't let go, he sneered as he growled low, between clenched teeth, "You guys have _three_ seconds. One…" The Heroes blinked in surprise, quickly shutting up and looking at Shadow. Dark magic was beginning to swirl around his fists…

"… _Two_…"

Almost instantly, the four Links, stammering and stumbling over their words, coughing and looking away awkwardly, released their friend from their giant hug, taking a few steps back and giving him his space back. Satisfied, Shadow gave a smug grin as he once more crossed his arms, looking back at them once more.

"… Still. Glad to know I'm welcomed back," he added with a dry smirk.

Green gave a warm smile. "You'll always be welcomed back, Shadow," he assured their friend with a nod.

"Yup. Unfortunately, that's the way it works with friends, y'know," Blue teased, though still grinning widely.

"And I'm sure whether we did or not," Vio added with a mischievous glint in his eye, "You'd still stay. So we might as well, yes?" Shadow returned the grin.

"So… does this mean you'll help us, now?" Red asked, sniffing as he began to tear up from happiness, his big, blue eyes looking near-adoringly over at Shadow.

The child of darkness glanced back towards Red, lightly blinking at the question. The others were looking at him too- and yet, as if unfazed by the pressure, Shadow merely grinned, crossing his arms.

"… I couldn't really call myself a Link if I didn't, now could I?" he replied with an easy laugh. He received smiles in response from all of them- but, unable to hold it back any longer, Shadow felt his face fall slightly in a reluctant frown, and he looked away, gritting his teeth for knowing what had to come next.

"… Anyways… About earlier," he muttered, embittered at what he knew he would have to do.

However, he blinked as he was quickly interrupted, the others shaking their heads and smiling.

"Don't," Green said bluntly, smiling as he crossed his arms. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, Shadow."

Shadow sneered in response. "I don't? Gee, I guess I'm a lot more special than I thought," he remarked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Considering, you know, everything I put you guys through, I'm sure none of that deserves an apology. Nope, not at all."

Surprised by his response, the four Links looked at one another before Shadow spoke again. This time, however, his arms were crossed firmly and a dry smirk was on his face.

"Like I said earlier," he continued, causing the others to look back at him, "I won't forget the decisions I made- and made some pretty bad ones." He frowned, looking seriously at them- and making sure they looked back- before saying what had to be said.

"So… I'm sorry. Alright?"

There was a small pause.

Finally-

"Well, it's official," Blue said with a sigh and a shrug, "hell's frozen over."

Green shot him a glare, and Blue grinned in response, walking forward and slinging an arm over Shadow's shoulder. "I'm just kidding," he finished with a laugh, elbowing Shadow and giving him a grin. "All's forgiven, buddy. You're one of us- always have been, always will be."

Despite himself, Shadow smirked. "Glad I meet your standards, _hero_," he sneered- and, with his own mischievous grin, just as quickly punched Blue back on his shoulder. Blue blinked in surprise- but just as quickly laughed.

Sniffing back tears of joy, Red ran up to Shadow as if to give him a hug- and yet, remembering last time, stopped a few feet in front of him, instead giving a weak grin. "Y-Yeah, Shadow… Besides, we understand what happened." He grinned as he looked over his shoulder, nodding once at the others before returning to Shadow. "So, don't worry about it! Friends are friends, no matter what."

The smirk on Shadow's face grew, and, seeing Red's hesitation, finally gave up- and, sighing, shook his head as he loosely opened an arm. Red, squealing in delight, ran up to the opening, quickly hugging Shadow around his middle. Shadow grinned- and, just as quickly, used his hand to shove Red away.

Shaking his head and laughing under his breath at Blue and Red, Green finally smiled, walking up to their friend and lightly clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I still say you didn't have to," he teased lightly with a grin, "… But I'm glad you did. Welcome back, Shadow."

Sneering, Shadow looked back up over at Green. "You guys really like this mushy crap, don't you?" he scoffed, shaking his head a bit sadly. However, looking back up at Green with a smirk, he crossed his arms, replying simply, "And I still say I did. Glad we can agree on the second part, at the least." Sighing, Green shook his head sadly- though returned his friend's smile, nonetheless.

"... You know," a voice came after a small pause, and the four Links looked to the side at who had spoken. A small smile had come over Vio's contemplative face, and he spoke calmly as he continued, looking over at Shadow, "For a moment, back there in the graveyard… I was worried you weren't the same Shadow we all knew." Surprised, the three Links looked at one another, then back at Shadow- whose gaze was also fixed calmly and quietly on the last of the Links.

Slowly, that smile grew on Vio's face, until it was an honest and true one as he kept his gaze on his friend.

"… I'm glad I was wrong."

Another pause came-

"Okay, I lied, NOW hell's frozen over!" Blue shouted, shaking his head in disbelief.

Green sighed and covered his forehead with the palm of his hand, having given up on scolding Blue. Red grinned and chirped up, tugging on Blue's sleeve, "What's more surprising- the fact that Vio was wrong, or that he's actually _happy_ he was wrong?" The both of them laughed while Green merely shook his head.

However, the words had a different effect on the black-haired Link, and he returned the quiet, reflective gaze of his friend's. The Shadow they had known, huh…? A smile grew on his face.

"And you Four are just the same as ever," he replied with a wry half-grin, looking at the exasperated leader, the two laughing heroes, and the calm and thoughtful one who returned his smile. When the others had all looked at him, wearing wide and ready grins, Shadow jerked his thumb eagerly over his shoulder, a devious, almost devilish smirk growing across his face.

"… So what do you all say about getting in there and kicking some Veran and Onox ass?"

"Don't have to tell _me_ twice!" Blue roared eagerly, jumping up enthusiastically at the idea. His hands were balled into fists and he looked at the others. "Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Red shouted, jumping up and down quickly as a wide grin spread across his face. "Nothing's gonna stand in our way anymore!" Eagerly, he ran up to Vio and Green, grabbing their wrists and running eagerly towards the castle.

"Ach! Hey, I'm coming, I'm coming!" Laughing, Green shook his head as he allowed Red to pull him along, jogging up to meet his and Blue's pace as the three ran across the bridge towards the gate. And though Red had also grasped Vio's wrist, the Link instead gave a wry smirk and twisted his hand out of Red's grasp, giving a nod to indicate he'd follow. Chuckling, Shadow shook his head as he also calmly and slowly, at his own pace, followed the three heroes.

Lastly, Shadow looked after the four heroes as they began to run- or, in Vio's case, walk- to the castle gates. A wry smirk began to form on his face.

After a moment, Vio stopped, looking over his shoulder at Shadow.

"… You coming?" he called out calmly with a grin.

Shadow returned the grin without hesitation. "You kidding?" he asked with a laugh as he began to walk up to the other, his lips parting wide in a fanged, mischievous grin.

"I wouldn't miss this for the _world_."

The two Links laughed and, turning once more towards the castle gate, continued to walk towards it once more, ready to conquer the darkness ahead of them- ready, as a team of five inseparable friends and five heroes of courage and light, to defeat the evil that had invaded their world and restore peace to their home.

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><p><strong>ARE YOU READY?<strong>

**It's finally time! _Finally_!**

**After 43 chapters of temples, side-quests, bosses and character development, it's finally time to enter the final dungeon of the fic- Hyrule Castle- and finish this fic, and adventure, once and for all!**

**For Hyrule! For Princess Zelda!**

**And for all you readers out there, who keep me going! :)**

**Look for Chapter 43 sometime by the end of this week! ^_^**


	45. Combustion

**I'm sorry again guys that the fic no longer has daily updates, but due to my current circumstances, I just don't think that will be possible for the rest of the fic. I'm still so very appreciative that you all are so patient and willing to wait for updates, and you all can't imagine how much that means to me. So again- THANK YOU! :D**

**As a reward- here is the awesome and epic beginning to the Links' trek into Hyrule Castle, Chapter Forty Five! **

**NOTE: These next few chapters, dealing with the Links in the Castle, will be slightly longer than usual. I blame this on adding another Link to the group. ;P But don't worry, they won't be anywhere near the craziness that was Reiteration's massive chapters! Promise!**

**Also, one more thing: This chapter is dedicated to my good friend The Great Mikey Weston as a (late) birthday present. :) HAPPY (late) BIRTHDAY! ^_^**

**ANYWAYS! Enough of my rambling. On with the chapter! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Five:<strong> Combustion

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><p>A low, deep creaking sound echoed inwards from the swinging door, bouncing off and echoing across the cavernous insides of the castle. The five Links, each leaning against the heavy set of double-doors, were slowly pushing the great door open, swinging it inside and opening the way into the castle. The light from the outside world around them poured into the dark, massive and empty room, sending a slicing beam of light cutting through the hazy blackness of the castle's chamber. And as the door opened further, with the five heroes leaning all their might against it, the entryway was finally cleared, and they each stepped quickly inside, keeping together as a group as they looked around them at their new surroundings.<p>

Red looked over at Green- and, with their leader giving him a silent nod, Red smiled, nodding back in understanding, and held out his Fire Rod. The door behind them was slowly closing, the light from outside dimming in the room- and so, as his Fire Rod came out in front of them, and a bright, red light erupted from the tip of his rod, so the room was once more illuminated in the light of his torch. And with the new light shining through the massive and empty room of the castle's entryway, the five heroes could now see just where they were.

The room was large and empty, with a high ceiling and widely-separated walls. Not a light shone from any corner of the room, and if not for Red's Fire Rod, they would have been sunk in pitch blackness. However, as Red slowly waved his Rod around, stretching the light out around them, a difference in the room was suddenly spotted- at the far end, an enclosed series of staircases led downwards, as if into a basement.

Green was the first to break the silence.

"I was afraid of this," he said grimly, shaking his head. "They've changed the interior of the castle."

There was a small pause- however, surprising everyone, someone else broke it by speaking, turning to another to ask.

"… Shadow…"

Hearing his name being spoken, Shadow blinked and looked to the side- as the others did- to who had spoken.

Vio frowned, trying to word his sentence carefully. "You were once… allied with Veran and Onox," he finally said, speaking simply and calmly, knowing very well what he said may be insensitive. "Do you know what they may have done with the castle's layout?" the wise Link asked.

Surprised at this, but understanding the logic, the other three Links then turned to look at Shadow.

The child of darkness frowned, crossing his arms. "No, I don't," he said bluntly, shaking his head. "I may have been 'allied' with them, yeah, but they kept me out of a lot of what they did. I only had one job…" he trailed off as he realized where his sentence was leading, and looked away bitterly.

An awkward silence ensued, but was soon broken by a loud voice.

"Hey, don't worry about it, alright?" Blue said, giving a wide grin as he turned to look over towards their friend, nodding sharply. "We went through a changed Hyrule Castle once before, we can do it again!" Clapping Shadow across the shoulder, he laughed, saying, "And now that we've got the whole team together, this'll be even _easier_ than before!"

Laughing and shaking their heads at Blue's boldness, the three Links grinned, their confidence restored by the all-too-confident Link. Looking back over at them, Shadow smirked as an idea came to him.

"… Or, I could just teleport us straight there," he commented dryly, smiling smugly as he crossed his arms.

Blinking in surprise and stunned to silence, the four Links turned quickly back to look at him incredulously.

Shadow grinned, lifting his hands as a dark magic began to swirl around them. Excited, the four Links looked at one another, grinning, then back at Shadow as the dark magic started to wrap around them…

… And in an instant, the dark magic was gone.

Shadow's eyes snapped open wide- and the others, just as surprised, looked around them, dumbfounded.

"What… what the hell?-!" Shadow shouted, looking in fury around them at their unchanged surroundings. Furiously, he lashed out once more with his fists, the dark magic once more slicing out in front of them- and yet, there they remained, in the same place they had been. Swearing loudly, Shadow looked away, his eyes narrowed as he grumbled, "Of course, they'd make my teleporting powers useless in here."

As the other Links sighed in slight defeat, Green managed a small smile as he placed a comforting hand on Shadow's shoulder. "Don't worry about it," he said with a laugh, looking at the others. "Like Blue said, we've done this once before, and we can do it again. Let's get moving, guys."

Nodding in response, the others gave reassured smiles to one another, and as Red held up his Fire Rod, illuminating the path in front of them, the Links started to make their way across the long room and towards the staircase at the end.

However, as the five turned and walked across the darkened room, one hung slightly back.

Still frowning, Shadow followed after them quietly, looking upon each of them strangely. He wasn't even as useful to them as he could be… And did they still hold his previous actions against him? They had each forgiven him, back outside the castle at the barrier… But would this even work out? He still could hardly forgive himself for what he did, and was only hoping that his assistance would begin to atone for his misdeeds. But if there would still be a rift between them, an awkward shift that he had once been their enemy…

And yet, he was suddenly shaken from those thoughts, blinking in light surprise as he looked to the side, the sounds of footsteps lightly walking along beside him waking him from his thoughts. Beside him, Blue was walking next to him, his arms crossed and a wry grin across his face as he looked to the side at their friend.

"What are you doing all the way back here?" Blue teased with a grin as the two continued to follow after the others, eventually reaching the stairs and beginning the climb down.

Shadow responded with a dry smirk, crossing his arms and looking to the side. "Why does it matter?" he answered with a scoff, trying to remain indifferent to Blue. "You four are a team, and I'm just an ally." He then grinned devilishly as he looked back at Blue, remarking back, "I should be asking _you_ why you're walking back here, without your team."

Laughing under his breath, Blue shook his head lightly, as if amused with Shadow's question. Shadow blinked in light surprise- and, without missing a beat, Blue replied back with a grin.

"You idiot, I _am_ walking with my _team_!"

The response surprised him, and Shadow blinked, his eyes widening slightly.

"We're _all_ a team, Shadow," Blue said, still giving his wide, trademark grin. "And sorry, but whether you like it or not, that includes _you_."

He couldn't think of anything to say. Silenced, Shadow looked off to the side, humbled, as the two continued to walk down the stairs, still lagging slightly behind the others. Ahead, they could hear the others eagerly talking that the stairs were coming to an end- and the light from an exit tunnel was just peeking around the stairs corner, which the other three were excitedly hurrying through.

Blue grinned, looking back over at Shadow as the two drew close to the entrance. "Look, I don't care if we're called the _Four_ Sword heroes or not," he said, bringing Shadow's attention. The Link gave a warm smile- "There're five of us, now. And as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it _should_ be."

The two Links had finally reached the tunnel, and, shrugging past the tense conversation, Blue walked forward as he made to exit the staircase-

"… Hey, Blue."

Pausing mid-step, the Link looked over his shoulder.

Giving a grim smile, Shadow walked up to him, nodding once. "… Thanks."

"Don't get all mushy on me, now!" Blue teased back with a laugh, turning back as the two walked through the entrance and into the next room. "I get enough of that from the others!"

Shadow smirked, crossing his arms. "Don't worry about that," he answered with a dry laugh, following Blue as the two entered the following room, eventually coming to stand next to the other three, who had come to a stop near the room's center, looking around them at their new surroundings.

The first thing the Links had noticed upon entering the chamber was the heat- an intense warmth radiated from every corner of the large, circular room, even from the rocky, uneven ground beneath them. It was dark, but a dreary, red haze glowed from between the cracks in the ground. And by the gurgling sound of something welling up from underneath, the Links could easily tell just what kind of place they had entered.

"This place… it looks almost like the bottom of Death Mountain," Green said, gritting his teeth nervously and taking a step back, moving his feet off a burning crack on the ground as the heat became too much to bear. Already they were each beginning to sweat in the smoldering heat- and as they looked around, not a single exit could be seen.

"This could possibly be a trap," Vio said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "We should-"

However, in an instant, Vio was cut off by a large and heavy sound slamming from behind them. Whirling around in an instant, their eyes wide in shock, the Links only had a split-second to see the light from the tunnel of stairs behind them closing as a sudden door rose up from the ground, slamming shut and sealing away the exit, trapping the five heroes in the room.

Cursing loudly, Blue instantly ran towards the door, slamming his fists on it and leaning his shoulder against the heavy, rock surface. However, it budged not an inch- and, gritting his teeth, Blue looked up at the seemingly impenetrable wall-

"Stand back," Shadow remarked coldly with a snarl as he took a few steps forward, his hands balled into fists and dark magic starting to swirl around him. Blinking in surprise, Blue quickly jumped out of the way- just in time to avoid the blasts of dark magic flung from Shadow's fist at the door. However, despite the powerful bursts of shadow magic slamming against the wall which had blocked away their only exit, the wall of solid stone remained firm and unyielding. His attacks ceasing, Shadow swore as he rubbed his wrists, staring down angrily at the door which had refused to break.

They were trapped.

"Everyone just calm down," Green snapped forcefully as he took a step forward, the five regrouping once more in the massive room, looking to their leader. As they all turned towards him, he narrowed his eyes, looking around and continuing, "There's sure to be a way out. Just be on your guard and whatever you do, _stay together_."

The four Links nodded in response to their leader's words, grouping together carefully and looking around suspiciously, keeping on their guard.

Red spoke next, his eyes concerned as a certain realization began to dawn on him. Worry spread over him as he looked at his friends, saying slowly, "Um, guys… if this place is like Death Mountain's crater, then… you don't think…"

Blinking in surprise at Red's idea, the other Links turned to look towards him, their eyes wide in realization…

And yet, as they looked at Red, their eyes started to widen even more, their faces drained of their color as a different sort of shock began to dawn over them…

Frowning in confusion, Red tilted his head. "Guys?" he asked tentatively, "what's wrong…?"

From behind Red, on the surface of the molten-rock wall, a deep red was beginning to spread in a circle, a gurgling, bubbling sound radiating from beneath…

Blue's eyes snapped open.

"RED! GET DOWN!" he roared, suddenly taking action and leaping forward, shoving Red aside and pushing him to the ground-

-Hardly a split second later, as Red fell to the ground and Blue stood where Red had once been, the wall behind Blue exploded outwards, large chunks of molten rock flying out in all directions as a massive bust of lava flooded out from the large hole made in the center of the wall. But what came out of the hole, splashes of fire-hot magma raging all around it, was what sent the most terrifying jolts of horror and despair slicing through the hearts of the Links. And when The massive beast charged right at Blue, its jaws opening wide and wrapping around their friend's body-

Closing its thick, lower metal jaw over Blue's form and lifting him up as he reared into the air, leaping out of the hole it had come out of through the wall, the mighty and terrifying Armored Molten Stallion, Equinnus, screamed in rage and hatred as it leapt over the Links, magma spraying from every inch of its molten-metal form, soaring high over the arena below them and leaving in its wake a blazing trail of magma and lava.

"_BLUE_!-!-!"

Instantly, their eyes snapping open and their chests sinking in horror, the four Links on the ground whirled around, facing Equinnus as it leapt over them towards the center of the arena, its metal-covered, spiked hooves slamming down powerfully on the molten-rock ground, sending shoots of magma bursting up from the ground, and cried out towards their friend, swept up in the furious wake of the beast.

However, each of them were suddenly and instantly revived, at least slightly, upon hearing Blue's roars of rage as he struggled to get free of the beast's grip. The beast was even more massive than last time- and its gigantic, lower metal jaw was more than wide enough to enclose over the child's body, trapping his arms to his sides and leaving only his head and legs sticking out of each end. Though he struggled and shouted, there was not an inch of room for him to be freed.

"But… but this is impossible!" Vio suddenly spoke, stammering over his words as he shouted above the roar of the lava and the screams of Equinnus. Already he and his friends had drawn their swords and shields- save for Shadow- and were facing the enemy in determination- yet also fear. Vio bit his lip. "We… we destroyed it, last time!" he shouted desperately, looking at the others for some sort of answer.

In that instant, Green blinked, suddenly remembering something- and, just as he shouted his friend's name, turning to look towards him, so he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, seeing just what he was doing.

His teeth were grit in hatred and determination, and his eyes narrowed fiercely upon the creation of his which was rampaging across the arena, spreading lava and magma in its wake and causing the once-stable platform of solid magma to fragment and break apart to reveal the magma beneath. He'd already run past the others- and, lashing upwards with his hands, Shadow cried out as he sent a massive blast of shadow magic out towards the foe. However, this magic was different than the rest- instead of the pitch-black, thick blast of energy, it was almost transparent, an opaque-silvery sort of magic which, upon striking the massive beast, wrapped around it like an electrical blast of energy.

"D… Damnit!" Gasping for breath and staggering back, the energy hold breaking and Shadow clutching his shoulder as the energy kicked backwards against him, the child of shadows swore and bit his lip as he looked at fury upon his own creation. "It won't respond to me!" he shouted, looking over at the others with narrowed eyes. "I… I may have made the first one…" Blue's yells, mixed in with Equinnus' roars, and the blasts of magma as the room around them grew more and more treacherous, almost clouded him out, and Shadow swallowed past a lump in his throat, shouting out fiercely, "but this one isn't mine! I can't command it!"

"But… what does that mean?" Green asked, his eyes widening in despair when he realized Shadow could do nothing to make it stop.

"Guys, that doesn't matter! Blue's in trouble!" Red shouted, wailing loudly in despair as he broke past the others, running a few feet ahead and looking after the rampaging monster, still charging and cantering wildly across the arena. All their shock and talk had been a waste- and the only thing they had to show for it, was that now the arena was fraught with danger and perils from below. Equinnus, upon charging into the once-stable arena, had now so destroyed the once-calm room, so that blasts and pillars of magma, red-hot steam, and lava were bursting out of the ground at odd intervals, all across the arena, and slowly the ground beneath them was starting to break up. Crying aloud as the rock beneath him gave way to another blast of magma, Vio jumped out of the way just in time, the ends of his clothes just barely getting singed as a massive, powerful funnel of fire burst out from the ground beneath him, spreading a dangerous warmth around the heroes.

"Red! Your Ice Rod!" Green shouted, looking towards the smallest Link of them all. Upon his friend's shout, and the near-miss Vio had with their crumbling floor, the leader knew they had no more time left for discussing options, or wondering what had happened. Blue was in danger- and they had to get him freed before attacking, or they'd risk hurting him. Gritting his teeth, he narrowed his eyes as he commanded sharply, "We need you to freeze him, so we can get Blue to safety!" He looked fiercely to the side, "Shadow, you distract it with blasts of magic, Vio and I will help Blue once Red freezes that thing!"

Instantly, the other three Links nodded in quick agreement to Green's plan. Splitting up, Shadow and Red running opposite ways while Green and Vio ran towards the center of the arena, the heroes quickly and without hesitation began to do what they needed to do.

Gritting his teeth and snarling past his anger, swallowing away guilt at what was now attacking them all, Shadow cried aloud as he flung blast after blast of twisting, pulsing shadow magic at the charging steed, attacking as he ran around the arena. His feet were quick and nimble, his movements agile and quickly to respond, dodging blasts of flame which shot out from beneath him, from the walls itself, and the fire which was wrapping around the entire arena. The fire around him was growing, the floor becoming shattered by the instant. Soon enough he found himself leaping from plate to plate, long strides over the magma becoming jumps as he was forced to evade the magma below by jumping over it. However, this did not stop him- and, his eyes narrowing into slits, only fueled him to go further as he continued to fire blast after blast at the raging monster, drawing its attention to him.

Equinnus, with Blue still in its jaws, screamed and roared as it reared around on its hind legs, its four front legs flailing wildly in the air and fire blazing from its form, trailing behind it in a malicious swirl of raining magma. Many of Shadow's blasts missed, but as the horse's wild eyes darted from side to side, eventually settling on the child of darkness itself, so the beast screamed once more, changing directions to charge towards its attacker, ignoring the blasts of shadow magic which bounced harmlessly off its heavy, thick metal sheets of armor.

Gasping as he ran across the magma-crowded room around him, his Ice Rod gripped firmly in his grasp, Red's wide eyes went over to the charging steed in the center of the room, as it continued to rear up, canter in one direction after Shadow, and whirl around, upon missing its target, only to once more charge and attack. Shadow's diversion was working well- both he, Green and Vio were so far being ignored by Equinnus, but he knew this would only last for so long. Shadow, as powerful as he was, would not be able to keep it up for long- sooner or later, their luck would run out. There was no time for him to delay- he had to strike, now!

"ARGGHHH!-!" Screaming and shouting in his rage, still struggling and twisting around in the monster's grasp, Blue flung insult after insult, curses and swears as he continued to be jerked around by every motion of the beast. His arms were still trapped firmly between the iron jaws of the monster- but, with his lower legs freed on the other end, so he had been kicking and flailing them around wildly, hoping to jab the creature in the eye or do something to make its grip loosen. And though he could feel the gasping, pinching pain of the monster's iron jaws digging into his body with every move he made, these thoughts were ignored and pushed to the side- he had to get free, he wasn't just going to be some useless captive for the whole damn fight!

Throughout Equinnus' rampage, as its steel hooves sliced against the ground, chunks of rock were being torn up in its wake, flung across the arena as magma continued to bubble and roar from beneath the surface, disintegrating the ground bit by bit. Though the beast was being kept occupied by Shadow's distractions, and Red was getting closer to it and in better position to strike, this did not make Vio and Green's job that much easier- for while Shadow was trying to draw the steed to it head-on, and Red was trying to run around it to get a good shot at it, they were both charged with the task of running right up to the beast, getting in close- yet not too close to where they would be in danger of being trampled or struck by the lava or rocks it was kicking up by its rampage. They had to make sure they were right in position to get Blue, right when Red froze the charging horse- none of them knew how much time they'd have before it started charging again.

And as the beast once more turned on Shadow, closing in on the child firing blast after blast at it, the magma firing up all around him and rocks flying through the air, the smallest Link flinging up his rod and shouting, the two Links diving past another barrage of rocks up to the very hooves of the beast, and the child in its grasp loosening his captor's hold on his hand and wrapping his hand around the hilt of his sword-

All at once, everything converged and happened in an instant- and as the blast of ice ricocheted from Red's Fire Rod, barreling towards the charging steed, so Vio and Green had leapt right underneath the monster itself, Shadow dodging out of the way of Equinnus' attack right before it had a chance to trample over him. There was a split second, the silence hanging in the air as the ice magic hurtled in the air towards the great fire beast- and as soon as it struck against the mighty creature, spreading over it and freezing its steel-covered, molten-magma body in place, so the massive horse screeched in pain, rearing up on its hind legs.

And as its mouth opened to scream in pain, Blue's hand had finally closed around the handle of his sword- and, freed of the monster's grasp, the bold and wild Link shouted aloud as he thrust his sword in a wide arc around him. The tip of his sword screeched and made sparks fly as it ground against the steel of the beast's jaw- and yet, as the edge of the blade connected with the edge of the metallic jaw, a sudden clink was heard, followed by a snap- then a heavy groan as the hinge was sliced in half by the hero's sword. Blue grinned in triumph as he saw the edge of his blade cleave the monster's jaw in two- and yet, his eyes widened and he blinked in sudden realization of what this meant-

-Without hardly a second more to think about it, he found himself yelling aloud once more as he plummeted downwards, having fallen out of the jaw, falling down towards the jagged, molten rock and the blazing gusts of magma-

Leaping forward, their arms out, Vio and Green were quick and effective, readying themselves moments before Red's attack and jumping into action. And right as Blue fell- so they were both there, catching Blue right as he fell, keeping him from hitting the treacherous rocks of the still-unstable ground. And only seconds before the two Links caught Blue, slamming against the ground beside them with a loud, metallic clank came the disembodied lower jaw of the beast.

And yet, in their single moment of victory-

Screaming and roaring in pain and hatred, Equinnus thrashed about beneath the thick layer of ice. The blast had proved powerful enough to hold it still while Blue was released and the others caught him- but it was only just able to keep it still, and already the fire of its being was roaring up, melting the ice around it, its muscles stretching and flexing as it fought against the ice, ready to snap open and free itself of its icy chains in mere seconds. And as its lower jaw, severed by Blue's sword, melted into the cracks of magma beneath it, its glowing-yellow throat was exposed to the heat of the arena around it.

"_Move_! Go, _go_! _Now_!" Green shouted, he and Vio helping Blue to his feet and urging the two of them to run. As the three Links stumbled to their feet, running off to the side, they were quickly joined by both Shadow and Red, regrouping close to the edge of the arena and taking a moment to catch their breaths-

Only seconds after, however, the ice containing the massive creature shattered, and the freed monster, Equinnus, screeched and whinnied in rage as it tossed its head around, the fire flaming from around its mane and magma rising up between the molten cracks of its body, flowing maliciously over the red-hot steel of its armor. The glowing yellow insides of its mouth throbbed and flashed, devoid of its protective lowers jaw- And without further hesitation, once more pounding the air with its steel-clad hooves, Equinnus lunged forward once more, screaming in fury as it continued its demonic, wild raging charge across the arena, blinded in pain at the mortal wound inflicted upon it.

Instantly, Red turned over towards Blue, his eyes wide and worried. "Blue! Are you okay?" he cried out, stepping towards his friend and placing a hand on his shoulder. The others, alerted to Red's voice, looked over to Blue- and each of their eyes grew wide in shock at something they hadn't noticed before.

Blue's eyes were tightly shut, and his lips pulled back as his teeth ground together against the pain. His sword had long been sheathed, and his right hand was clutching his opposite arm so tightly, they could see his fingers white from where they were digging into his sleeve. Staggering backwards, Blue groaned as he leaned against the wall behind them, his eyes opening as he glared daggers at his arm and cursed profanely under his breath. Tenderly, he lifted his fingers- and, gasping sharply in pain, quickly covered them back upon seeing the fresh and growing stain of red beneath. The attack on Equinnus' jaw, possibly striking it down entirely, had been costly.

"_Damnit_, now I'm _useless_!" Blue swore heavily, shaking his head, his teeth still clenched fiercely against the wave of pain shooting down his arm.

"You're _not_ useless, Blue," Green said firmly, shaking his head and taking a step forward- though he, too, was concerned about his friend's injury, and Vio was already fighting Blue by trying to get him to let him see it. Green's eyes narrowed as he looked back out towards the arena- "But we need to figure out some way to defeat this thing," he finished, looking back at the others. They were safe for the moment, up close against the wall as Equinnus once more raced over the arena in rage- but their time was running out.

"Your Ice Rod worked last time, didn't it?" Shadow snapped, still trying to regain his breath from the exhausting effort earlier, and looking over at Red. "So why didn't it work just now?"

"It's _your_ pet, you tell _us_!" Vio responded back sharply, looking up from Blue's wound with narrowed eyes. Cut deep from his words, Shadow blinked, stunned into silence.

Lifting his head towards the two, Blue snarled, "Shove it, Vio. This isn't gonna help!" Quickly, he looked back over at Green, taking a step forward to no longer lean on the wall. Though Red protested, he ignored him, instead saying firmly towards their leader, "Green, I think what I did to its jaw weakened it-"

"Forget that," Shadow interrupted, recovering quickly from earlier and looking around them with narrowed, yet panicked eyes, "We've got a bigger problem right now!"

Looking up over at Shadow, Green blinked in surprise. "What are you-"

Quickly, Green was cut off by a monstrous and thundering sound slamming through the room- and, crying aloud, the five Links were suddenly stumbling over the shifting and rumbling ground beneath, their balance lost as the entire room, being pushed over its edge, was beginning to rumble and shake. The five looked up with wide eyes- Equinnus, still wildly charging around the arena in the pain of its lost jaw Blue had severed off, had crashed head-first into one of the walls, staggering back and screeching in blind hatred and pain. A massive crack had cut through the wall where the armored stallion's massive head had connected with the rock, and as it spread upwards and into the ceiling, the rumbling magma from below was finally coming to a head as a deep, roaring and hissing sound began to radiate across the cavern.

"_That_!" Shadow snapped, regaining his footing and looking at the others. "Everyone get down!" Taking a step forwards, Shadow opened his palms, a black magic beginning to forma round his hands. Boulders were beginning to fall from the ceiling, the walls around them becoming even more and more unstable as the entire room continued to shake and rumble. Instantly, a massive blast of dark magic burst from Shadow's palms- and yet, unlike the bursts of powerful energy that was his trademark attack, a thick layer of dark magic instead burst from his hands, spreading around the five Links like a protective shield. The rocks from below crashed down upon the blackened magic, mere inches above the Links' heads, but with the protective barrier surrounding them, the boulders were deflected and fell off to the side.

Green nodded, still kneeling down as Shadow had ordered. "Good thinking," he shouted back, yet looked over at the rest of the room, continuing, "But this isn't going to help us for long! The whole place is about to collapse!"

"You think I don't know that?-!" Shadow yelled back, his eyes narrowed in fury as he continued to struggle to keep the barrier alive, his eyes still darting from side to side as he desperately tried to think of a plan.

Equinnus, in its pain and blind fury, had once more stumbled to its feet- yet, with the wound inflicted by Blue still weakening it terribly, once more it ran aside, only to crash again into the other wall. Tossing its head backwards and rearing up, flailing its armored hooves in the air, the monstrosity once more recoiled backwards in intense, unbridled might- nearly falling over backwards before righting itself and once more charging across the arena.

And as it once more ran passed them, Red's eyes snapped open and he gasped, standing up and taking a step forward. "Guys!" he shouted, looking back at them with wide eyes and pointing frantically outwards. "Look! It's opened a tunnel!"

The four Links quickly turned to look to where Red was pointing- sure enough, near one of the walls where Equinnus had rammed into, the massive rocks had crumbled around and broken off of the walls, exposing an opening in the wall which was forming a temporary tunnel out of the room. And yet, as the roof continued to slam down boulder after boulder, and the magma from below was erupting from underneath and slowly breaking apart the ground beneath them-

"Everyone, get to that tunnel! NOW!" Green shouted, his eyes jerking open as he snapped into business, jumping up quickly upon seeing the tunnel- and realizing how little time they had to make it.

Without a second's hesitation or agreement, the five Links quickly got to their feet and began to run. Leaping over boulders, and crying aloud as they just barely evaded a blast of steam from the magma-erupting ground beneath, the run was treacherous- and many times, one of them would fall back- only to be quickly helped up by another, and urged on to keep running to the other side of the room, trying to steer clear of the raging Equinnus, yet still get to the tunnel's opening before it collapsed.

And yet, as they grew closer to it-

Shadow's eyes grew wide as he looked at what was happening.

The barrier he'd created earlier had drained much out of him, there was no way he was able to keep it going as they ran- but even so, he felt an even greater amount of energy leave him upon the sight growing closer and closer to them as they neared the tunnel. For above the entrance to the crumbling exit, he could see a massive bolder, jutting out from the wall above, beginning to crumble and lean…

Instantly, his hands balled into fists.

Shouting aloud, as the last one behind the four, Shadow jerked out his fists in front of him, sending a massive blast of dark energy ahead of him. And yet, his magic was not aimed at the boulders surrounding them, at the pillars of magma breaking down the ground or even the trampling monster around them- but instead, he gave a grim smirk as he saw his shadow magic blast right into the backs of the others, sending them hurtling forwards, faster than they could run, and sending them skidding across the ground- safely inside the passage.

"ARGH! Damnit, Shadow, what the _hell_ was that for?-!" Blue roared out as he struggled to his feet quickly, the others also groaning and mumbling under their breaths as they, too, moved to get up-

Blue's eyes snapped open in horror as he realized what was going on.

The boulder above them was slipping- Shadow was running towards them as fast as he could, but his eyes were wide, he knew he would not make it-

Gritting his teeth, and shoving past everything, ignoring the pain in his arm and the shouts of those behind him, Blue cried out as he leapt forward- and as the massive boulder from above came crashing down, so the Blue Link knelt down beneath the rock's fall, keeping his anchor firm on the ground and holding his hands above him-

Screaming aloud in immense pain as the bolder finally came crashing down over his shoulders, Blue winced slightly, his eyes shut tight yet his trembling arms holding firm the bolder over his head, the rock which was only inches away from crushing him- and trapping Shadow inside the arena. Weakly, Blue opened his eyes-

-Just in time to see Shadow, having reached them, dart in from under the rock and into the tunnel. And yet, just as quickly, he whirled around, eyes wide at seeing what Blue was doing- and, without hesitation, ran over to Blue, kneeling down underneath the rock and placing his own hands beneath it, struggling against the weight of the boulder as he tried to hold it up before it could crush them.

"GO, you idiot!" Shadow roared, gritting his teeth as he pushed against the boulder, his muscles shaking and twitching from the effort as sweat beaded down his face. The pain of holding the thing was incredible… and as he looked to the side, his eyes grew even wider, as he wondered how Blue was even doing it- after all, he could clearly see the deep, red gash in his friend's left arm, left over from his attack on the monster they'd faced.

And yet, despite Shadow's order-

Blue gave a grim smile.

"N-No… you go… I'll… I'll be okay," he gasped, struggling to speak through the effort of keeping the boulder open. Forcing through a grin, he narrowed his eyes determinedly as he spoke to his friend, slow and serious, "They'll need you, Shadow… I'll find a way out, just… Just _go_!"

"Blue! Shadow! Come on, hurry!" Red cried, looking at the others from inside the tunnel as tears began to stain his cheeks. Though the three inside had tried to leap forward and help their friend, another rock had shifted and slammed into their path- already, the tunnel was almost entirely blocked, and they could not reach them.

Green's eyes widened as the realization began to hit him. One of them could run through while the other held up the rock… but the one who stayed behind would…

Shadow kept his firm, yet surprised and concerned eyes over at Blue. And yet, Blue returned his glare with one of his own- keeping that trademark grin over his face, despite his eyes wincing with pain as the boulder weighed down heavily on his shoulders, the red stain growing on his left arm… Blue would not leave. Shadow knew this, and he bit his lip, swallowing past a lump in his throat.

Blue grinned. "Take... take care of 'em for me, will ya?" he gasped, his muscles still shaking as he struggled to hold up the rock, though his devious grin still shining through.

Shadow paused for a moment- then gave his friend a short, silent nod.

And, without a second's longer hesitation, Shadow leapt outwards from underneath the rock, surging forwards into the tunnel and leaping over the second fallen boulder to regroup with the others.

And not a second after this-

After all the roaring sounds of the inferno and the battle surrounding them, the screams of the monster Equinnus, the trembling quakes of the collapsing room and the thunderous steams and blasts of magma-

With a final, terrifying crash, the boulder finally slammed down firmly onto the ground behind them- and everything fell silent.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**-evil laugh- Don't you just LOVE my cliffhangers? ;D**

**Anyways, the next chapter should be coming by the end of the week, hopefully sooner if I have time for it. ^_^ **

**Until then, you must SUFFER with the terrifying question- is Blue alright? :OOOO**


	46. Plunge

**Long chapter = short commentary. :)**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Six:<strong> Plunge

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><p>The moments of silence did not last long.<p>

"BLUE!-!-!" Instantly, shouting out their friends' name, the three Links leapt forward, fighting their way past the rocks that had fallen around and beside them until they reached where the tunnel had been sealed. Though they shouted and banged their fists against the massive boulder which had shut out everything from the previous arena- including their friend, left behind on the other side- the gigantic rock didn't budge an inch. And as they finally quieted down, the only sounds they could hear were that of their own labored, exhausted breathing. Wide-eyed and terrified, the Links looked at one another.

Finally, gritting his teeth and forcing his eyes to stay dry despite the burning, Green looked over towards the wall, taking another step and slamming his fist on the rock.

"Blue! Blue, can you hear us?-!" their leader yelled as loud as he could, hoping, clinging on to a shred of faith, that his friend was still okay behind the rock. The others had fallen silent around him- and as silence was his answer, Green grit his teeth, his eyes trembling as he refused to believe-

Suddenly, however, their eyes snapped open, their hearts stopping in an instant at what they heard- a vague, indiscernible mumbling was coming from the other side of the rock! Could it possibly be Blue?-!

"Blue! Is that you? Are you okay?" Green called out, raising his voice as loud as he could go, and then leaning in to the rock in hopes of hearing anything on the other side.

There was a small pause...

"... Y-eah... I'm okay, guys... Did you all... make it out...?"

His voice was faint and muffled through the rock, and his words could only just barely be made out- but his voice alone was enough to melt the frozen fears of all the Links, sending heavy, relieved sighs through them all. However, shaking his head and quick to recover, Green once more pressed his hand against the rocks as he called back.

"Yeah, Blue, we're all here. Just... stay there, okay? We'll find a way to get through this thing!" Green grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes and swallowing past a lump in his throat as his hand, set on the rough surface of rock, was formed into a fist. Nothing would keep him from getting through this damned wall to get to his friend. He wouldn't leave Blue behind.

Another small silence drifted between the four heroes and their trapped friend-

"... No, you guys go on ahead," Blue's voice, quiet and hardly understandable, called back from the other side. "That horse-demon thing is gone, and the area here is stable. I'll just find some way around-"

"You seriously think we're going to leave you behind?" Vio shouted, taking a determined step forward and narrowing his eyes. "Save it, Blue, we're not leaving until this rock is gone!"

"Blue, we can't just _leave_ you!" Red added, looking pleadingly at the harrowing rock which separated him from his friend.

This time, there was hardly any silence between his friend's shout, and Blue's response.

"There... there _isn't_ a way past this thing," Blue called back stubbornly, "It's _blocked_. You guys will just waste time trying to move it- go on ahead, okay? I mean it! I'll look around for another passage out of here."

The Links on the opposite side of the rock fell silent.

"... Maybe we should listen to him," came a quiet, calm voice.

Instantly, the three Links looked quickly back, their eyes wide in disbelief at what they'd heard. Shadow was looking away, his face fraught with guilt- but also hardened into seriousness. He grit his teeth as he continued, "He has a point, we'd just be wasting-"

"What are you saying, Shadow?" Green snapped, rounding angrily on the Link. "That we just leave Blue behind? I'm not leaving _anyone_ behind, and that's final!" he snapped.

Surprised by the energetic and angered response, Shadow's eyes went wide as he blinked- and, gritting his teeth, looked away, unable to meet Green's stare.

"... Then I'll just beat you guys there!"

Once more, the Links attention was turned back to Blue- and they all turned to look towards the wall as they heard his voice, and leaned in to listen to the rest of what he had to say. And as he spoke, though their hearts sank, they could each hear Blue's mischievous grin coming through in his words.

"Yup, you guys just sit there wasting time. I'll leave now to find another way, and I'll get to Veran and Onox before you do. See ya there! Oh, and if you guys get there before me, don't you DARE start without me! Later!"

His laugh came through the rocks one more- but, as faded and muffled as it was, behind the massive, blocked cave, it grew more and more quiet- until it was completely gone, and Blue said no more.

The Links were stunned into silence.

Finally-

"NO!" Erupting in rage, Green jumped back to the wall, yelling loudly over to Blue. "Blue, don't leave! Get back here! We'll get you out!"

There was no response- and over the minutes as they waited, they only heard silence.

Gritting his teeth, Vio slammed his fist against the wall, closing his eyes in fury. "The stubborn _fool_..." he muttered under his breath, sighing, defeated.

The four Links remained silent, each of them dealing with the loss in their own way- Vio was looking away from the others, his eyes shut and anger across his face at his friend's decision. Green looked down at the ground, deep in thought as a mixture of sorrow and fury flooded through him, though eventually closing his eyes, knowing the burden of what to do next fell upon his shoulders.

And yet, it seemed that Red was taking it the worst of them all- wide-eyed in fear and worry, he'd stayed still and silent next to the wall, his hand still on the side of the rock. Every few seconds he sniffed away some tears, rubbing the stains off his cheeks, and muttered his friend's name, wondering why they had to be split up- especially after they had spent their entire adventure remembering that they were supposed to stay together.

And Shadow- he remained silent. Green's words still cut through him deep- he felt a weighed down guilt for Blue's fate, trapped behind the arena as he tried to go on his own and find his own way out. Would he even find a way out of the arena? Or would he stay trapped there? And if it _was_ the latter... how could they just leave him there to...

After a while, the sorrowful silence was finally broken.

"... Come on, guys," Green finally said, trying not to choke on his words as he sighed, looking into the depths of the tunnel. "Blue's made his choice," he continued, clenching his jaw as he spoke, "...And we have to keep going." Closing his eyes, and not waiting for an answer, the leader of the heroes turned away and began to slowly and quietly walk away from the sealed-off tunnel.

Saying nothing, Vio instead calmly and quietly turned around, following Green away from the wall. Shadow watched as the two passed him and kept walking- and as he looked back, he could see Red's hand still on the rock.

Wide-eyed, Red had watched Green and Vio continue onwards... and he knew he had to, too. But still... Regretfully, he looked back at the wall, sighing and sniffing away his tears. "Blue... just... be careful, okay?" Red called out weakly, finally tearing himself away and beginning to walk slowly away, as Shadow quietly watched.

And as the four heroes turned away from the sealed passage, beginning to walk down the darkened temple without their friend... So, on the other side of the rock, the young hero's hand slipped from the wall, and his eyes, for once crestfallen and saddened, looked away.

"Y-yeah... you be careful, too, guys," Blue choked out, his eyes closing as he tried to keep his sorrow from overwhelming him. He gave one last look to the wall he'd stayed at, waiting to make sure the others continued on without him- and, sighing once more, turned around and faced the darkened arena he'd become trapped in. He grit his teeth and swallowed away the lump in his throat- and, with one arm gripping the wound in his shoulder, began to walk.

* * *

><p>Shadow couldn't believe it.<p>

They had only just begun the trek into the final stretch of defeating Veran and Onox- and already, they were down one Link. True, he was still alive and attempting to find his own way through the temple, but... They could not even be sure if he would find a way out, or what he might face on his own.

And if it hadn't've been Blue... it would've been him.

Shadow had made sure the others got through the tunnel before it collapsed- but it was Blue who turned around and jumped under the falling rock, holding it up so Shadow could run through. Why had he done that? When realizing what Blue was doing, Shadow had gone to help him, still trying to urge Blue to go on without him, and stay with the others... After all, Shadow was just the ally, not one of the Four Sword Heroes... Still, Blue had stayed holding up the rock, insisting that Shadow went instead.

... What had he said? That they would need Shadow?

_... Fat chance,_ he thought scornfully, looking away as he continued to walk down the tunnel, lagging considerably behind the others. _I've only just now joined their little group, and already we've lost one person. Yeah, gee, what a great 'help' I am._

Shadow's thoughts once more turned morose and angry, looking off to the side as he continued to walk-

-and yet, suddenly, those thoughts were dashed away as he suddenly stumbled backwards, caught off-guard by something in front of him that hadn't been there before. Blinking in surprise and taking a step back, Shadow looked in front of him at what he'd run into.

"Red!" he exclaimed in surprise, looking at the smaller Link who had been walking slowly in front of him, not even aware that Shadow had almost run him over.

Upon being bumped into, Red had jumped up in slight surprise, looking around frantically- and then relaxing slightly when he realized it was just Shadow. "O-oh... Sorry, Shadow..." he mumbled a quiet apology, trying to force a weak smile in his face as he turned back around to keep walking, his footsteps slow and quiet as he walked behind the others in front.

Blinking in surprise, Shadow looked after Red as the Link sullenly turned and began walking slowly forwards once more. The Link frowned- and, continuing down the tunnel, walked up beside Red, matching his pace and looking down at the smaller hero.

"... What's the matter?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow and still looking down at Red. Red did not answer- and, by his sniffling, Shadow sighed as he realized just what it was.

The child of shadows grit his teeth reluctantly, looking away and biting his tongue. "Look," he finally snapped, irritated, looking back at Red, who looked back up at him, "It's not gonna do us any good by being sad about Blue. It's not gonna do Blue any good, either!"

Sniffing sadly, Red rubbed the tears off his cheek by the end of his sleeve, looking away. Shadow bit his cheek once more- he really sucked at this 'comforting' and 'friendship' thing. However, before he could try again, Red spoke.

"Y-yeah, I know, but..." Sighing, Red closed his eyes sullenly as he continued to walk. "It's... it's my fault he's trapped..." His eyes once more started to tear up, and he looked up sadly as he continued, "It's 'cause of me Blue was caught by that thing and then hurt... He pushed me out of the way... And then... and now he's..."

Shadow's eyes widened in surprise. _Red_ was feeling guilty? It was hardly Red's fault... if anything, it was _Shadow's_ fault... And he was sure that Vio and Green knew this as well, and probably felt resentment towards Shadow for it. After all, Vio had snapped at Shadow when Blue had been injured, and Green rounded on Shadow when he'd suggested they leave Blue behind. Still... he looked down at the sad Link, and once more sighed, deciding to give this 'friendship' thing another shot.

"What happened isn't your fault, Red," he muttered under his breath and between clenched teeth, looking ahead with narrowed eyes. Sniffing away his tears, Red looked up at Shadow as the child of darkness continued. "Blue pushed you out of the way because _he_ wanted to, not because you asked. Just like he decided to go on his own instead of having us waste time trying to free him. Besides, Blue's a tough guy- hell, maybe even tougher than me," he admitted with a wry smirk. Reluctantly, Red smiled, once more wiping away a tear.

Smiling dryly, he looked back over at Red. "He'll be fine," he said with an idle shrug, turning his gaze once more ahead of them. "Besides, if Blue were here, what would he say to all your little whining?" he added with a teasing, devilish grin.

Despite himself, Red grinned, giggling as he wiped away another tear. "Oh... he'd probably be all, "Red, don't be a cry-baby! You're a hero! We're a team and we can do anything!"" As he spoke, the young Link puffed out his chest, clenching his fists and speaking in a deep, bragging voice, as if mocking the bolder and more wild Link. Unable to help himself, Shadow laughed at the amusing imitation.

"See?" the Link of shadows said with a grin, looking ahead. "So just-"

And yet, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence, Shadow suddenly cut himself off, looking down in surprise at what had made him suddenly stop talking. Smiling, Red had quickly turned and given Shadow a hug, wrapping his arms around his friend's middle.

"Thanks, Shadow... I... I'll try and be brave, now." Sniffing away his tears once more, Red smiled as he hugged his friend, reassured and his confidence restored. Shadow sighed and patted Red's head. Grinning awkwardly, Red quickly let go and looked away. As if suddenly seeing something interesting, he called out to the others, running cheerfully up to them. Shadow sighed and shook his head- though couldn't help reflecting back on the comforted hug Red had given him.

However, before he could think too much on it-

"Hey, Shadow! Can you come up here for a minute?"

Blinking as he was called, Shadow looked up at the others- they had stopped a little further ahead, and were looking back at him, Green having called out to him. Shadow shrugged, lightly speeding up his pace until he was standing next to them. The Link crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow as if waiting for whatever they had called him over for.

"Before we go any further," Green said with a sigh, looking at the team they had left before continuing, "We need to figure out what happened and think about what's going to come next." The others nodded, and Green continued, looking over at Shadow and frowning, "That was obviously the same monster we faced in Death Mountain, even though you said you can't control it."

Shadow grit his teeth- he was afraid of this. The question had been pushed away for long enough- and Green was a wise leader not to ignore it. The Link looked away as he said with a snarl, "Veran and Onox never did trust me. I'll bet anything they were watching everything I did- but I never would've guessed they were making copies of my monsters behind my back."

"If that's the case," Vio added, frowning, "Then it's highly possible we may face the next monsters we fought at each of the temple's end in the later parts of the castle."

Red blinked in surprise- he hadn't thought about that, before. However, forcing a weak smile, he said with a lightly chipper grin, "W-Well, on the bright side... it seemed kinda different than the first one we faced, remember?" Confused, the others looked at him. Excited that he was the only one to notice, Red cheered up as he nodded eagerly, continuing, "Yeah! Didn't you guys see it? It was a lot stronger than last time, maybe, but it wasn't nearly as smart. All it did was chase Shadow around the arena- and when Blue cut off its jaw, it ran around and crashed into the walls!"

Vio frowned, pausing to muse on this. "Interesting," he muttered.

Green raised an eyebrow, looking from Red to Shadow. "Your thoughts?" he asked, knowing Shadow would have more insight on the matter than they would.

Shadow thought about it for a moment, crossing his arms. "Red has a point," he said dryly, "When I created them, they weren't nearly that stupid. It's possible that, even though these may be stronger, or smarter, they're lacking in something else. After all, they're just copies."

The leader of the Links nodded. He wasn't exactly satisfied with their deductions, but he knew it was better than what they had before. "Then let's get ready for the next one," he said with a grim smile, turning around. Shadow blinked in confusion- and, looking over his shoulder, Green smiled as he realized Shadow hadn't yet noticed. Giving a short laugh, Green took a step to the side- and Shadow took a step forward, looking curiously at what was in front of them.

The tunnel stopped a few feet ahead into a dead-end- but right in front of them was a large, round hole in the center of the floor. Throughout the tunnel, torches had been set in the walls, lighting their way- but the bottom of the hole was dark, and they could not see where it ended. However, it was obviously the only way out.

"I'll go first," Green said with a smirk, walking up to the hole and preparing to jump.

"Wait! Why you?" Vio interrupted, looking over at Green and frowning. "Let one of us test it first," he insisted.

And yet, Green merely grinned in response. "What, did you forget, Vio?" he asked with a laugh, "I'm the best there is at falling down holes!"

Instantly, Vio smiled, despite himself, shaking his head sadly as Red laughed at the joke, remembering Green's fall in the Earth Temple. Shadow frowned, tilting his head- obviously not getting the joke- and, with another smile and nod to the others, Green once more turned towards the hole, squatting down close to the ground and placing his hand on the edge of the opening-

And, without further hesitation, the Link took a deep breath as he vaulted himself off the floor, leaping down into the hole and plunging into the darkness below.

Instantly, the three other Links crowded around the hole, looking down intensely as they desperately tried to hear what was going on.

A second later-

A hissing sound came from the bottom, soon followed by a voice-

"Guys, come on down!" Green called from the dark bottom. "The ground is sand! Don't worry about the landing! ... And this time, ONE AT A TIME!"

Once again, Vio and Red laughed- Shadow still frowning angrily- and Vio gave a nod to Red as he quickly jumped into the hole, easily leaping down the sides to the bottom.

Beaming widely, Red giggled as he got to the edge of the hole-

"GERONIMO-O-O-O-O!" the Link shouted out with a grin as he leapt down, soon landing on the sandy bottom with another hissing shifting of sands.

Shadow rolled his eyes in exasperation- but, without further hesitation, leapt into the hole after them.

The fall was not nearly as high as he had been expecting- and the landing, as Green had said, was soft and easy, the shifting and sliding sands beneath him giving way to ease his descent. And as soon as his shoes touched the sand, already there was a dim light growing from the end of Red's Fire Rod, as he lit up the room they were now in so they could see where they had fallen into.

It was a large and wide, cavern-like room like the one before it. However, rather than the ground being made of dried, molten rock, sand instead filled the room's ground- and while neither of them could tell just how deep the sand went, it was safest to assume that it was at the very least half-filled. The ceiling was incredibly high- far beyond what they could reach- and there was not a single exit or tunnel in the walls.

The silence was soon broken- "Well, Vio, looks like you were right," Green said with a resigned sigh as he looked around them. "This looks just like the bottom of the Earth Temple." His eyes turned fierce as the leader looked at the rest of his team, grasping tight his boomerang in one hand and shield in the other. "Get ready, guys- stay on the alert."

"Last time," Vio added as he grit his teeth, also grabbing a hold of his bow and arrows, "Its weak spot was on the top of its head... Do you think-"

"W-oah!" Red suddenly cried out, slipping backwards and nearly falling over- though quickly caught by Shadow. Red's eyes went down to the ground, growing wide as he realized what had made him trip. And soon, all of the Links began to see it- and feel it- for themselves. The sand beneath them was beginning to move... slipping and dragging underneath them, almost tripping Link and causing the others to stumble on their footing.

"Damnit!" Shadow swore, pushing Red back on his own footing while he tried to keep from being pulled in the direction of the sand. Grabbing a small crack in the wall and wrapping his fingers around it, the child of shadows quickly latched onto the wall to keep himself from further being dragged outwards by the sands beneath him. His eyes looked up- all of the sand in the entire, round arena was being drawn towards the center...

"Everyone to the wall, now!" Green shouted, leaping towards the edge of the arena and reaching outwards with his hands in an attempt to grab some sort of hold on the wall. His panicked eyes looked down at the sand once more- last time, there had been a firm, solid path by the edge of the wall, free from the pull of sand. This time, there was nothing of the sort- and, as his eyes looked up at the wall, his hands scrambling to find a hold, he realized with another sinking feeling- the walls were solid stone, with little to no cracks or indents.

"Green!" Vio shouted, holding out his hand as his other firmly grasped on a single, slightly jutting out rock on the wall. He'd found a hold- and, without hesitation, Green grasped his friend's hand firmly in his own-

And all at once, the arena of sand exploded upwards and outwards in a massive blast of energy, sending sheets of the sliding sands flying upwards and outwards through the air. The vibrations rocked the entire room, sending vibrations through the floor and even the very walls- yet the most terrifying of them all was the loud, screeching and roaring noises grinding from the center of the room and slicing across the once-calm air of the cavern. The noise was terrifyingly familiar- and with wide eyes, the four Links looked up at the center of the room as a massive form burst from the center of the sands, snaking upwards towards the ceiling as it climbed out of the depths of the sand.

One claw... two... three, then four, massive pincers as large as a house and angrier than ever clawed their way out from the sands, slicing into the sands and pulling up its body out through the sands. Its long, segmented form, lined with hundreds of smaller insect-like legs, broke through the sands easily and efficiently, and its wide-open, gargantuan mouth, lined with dozens of rows of hundreds of fangs, yawned open hungrily towards the sand-covered room. The split horn atop its head towered over the Links just as it had done before- and as the Demonic Stinging Arachnid, Scorpidae, finally wormed its way fully out of the sand, the last thing to follow was the dreaded and terrible scorpion-like, double-ended poisonous tail at its end, curling maliciously over its back.

And it was then that their light went out.

"RED!-!" Green suddenly shouted, his eyes snapping open wide- yet suddenly seeing nothing- as the source of light suddenly disappeared, their leader seeing only an instant before the form of the smallest Link of them all losing his footing, his grasp on the wall failing and him falling forward, the sands already starting to drag him away-

Crying aloud suddenly, Shadow lunged outwards, keeping his hand still firmly grasped on the wall, yet his other stretching out as far as it could go, his fingers wrapping firmly around the wrist of the small Link. He, too, had seen the Link fall- and as the Fire Rod fell from Red's wrist, so their only source of light in the room had gone. Shadow's red eyes burned brightly in the darkness- and, quickly and expertly, he'd caught Red before the Link could be fully sucked back through the sands.

"Hold on!" Shadow roared over towards Red, tightening his grip as he strained against the extra weight, slowly pulling Red back towards the wall. Gasping, his eyes still wide in shock from the panic, Red quickly found his own hold on the wall as Shadow dragged him back towards the edge, and grasped a rock on the wall, holding on for dear life. His eyes were still wide- but he could see nothing, the sights of the arena now gone from them, with only the confusion of roaring sounds flying all around him.

"G-Guys! I... I can't see anything! And I dropped my Fire Rod!" Red wailed out, desperately trying to look at the others- yet not even knowing if he was looking at them or not.

"Are you _kidding_ me?-!" Shadow shouted, looking over and snarling at the others in fury.

"Shadow, don't get mad at Red, we've got enough problems as it-" Green started to shout, but was quickly cut off.

"Not that, you idiot!" Shadow snapped. "You mean you guys can't _see_?-!"

"Of course we can't!" Vio replied sharply, taken aback. "It's pitch-black in here!"

Shadow swore ferociously under his breath, looking back out towards the arena, his red and glowing eyes narrowed sharply in frustration. He could see just fine- the darkness was his natural world, after all. And yet they couldn't- well, great! How the hell were they doing to deal with the scorpion-monster which had only just pulled itself out of the ground and was charging around the room madly?

"We can't do anything if we can't see," Green's firm voice came as the others tried to stay calm and think of a plan. "Our _first_ priority is getting that Fire Rod back. Then we'll have to fight him like we did before!"

"And how are we going to get it back if we can't see?" Vio shot back, "It could be anywhere, now that the sands are dragging every which way!"

His eyes narrowed. He'd had enough of this- and, growling, Shadow looked back at the others, his dark red eyes still burning in the darkness.

"I can see perfectly," he remarked coldly, "I'll get the damn rod back. Until then, you three are as good as useless, so stay here and don't get in the way!"

"Shadow, wait!" Green shouted out in objection- but it was too late. Shadow had already, without waiting for one of their remarks, leapt away from the wall, and was running frantically over the sands. The diminishing red lights of his eyes were all the indication they had that he'd left.

The sands were treacherous and slipping, changing their directions every few, random seconds and rising and falling like an ocean storm's waves. Shadow could hardly keep his footing- but still, he caught himself before he could fall, still running around the arena, desperately searching the sands for any sight of the rod. Why the hell did that kid _drop_ it? There was no other light in the damn arena, and since the Links couldn't see in the darkness, they didn't have a _shred_ of hope of winning against this desert colossal without it! Once more swearing in the frustration of his situation, Shadow leapt over a surge of sand sliding his way, continuing to-

Cutting him off in an instant, a massive, insect-like leg suddenly slammed down right in front of Shadow, causing the hero to stumble backwards, wide-eyed, caught off-guard and off-balance by the sudden intrusion. He looked up- the massive scorpion, screaming and roaring in rage, had nearly trampled over him without even noticing him. Could it not see in the darkness, either? Shadow thought of something, his eyes narrowing in realization. If so... Then he could possibly defeat it on his own, without the other Links. He held the advantage of the darkness- and since it would benefit the creature if he retrieved the Fire Rod for the others...

In a rare occurrence, Vio swore under his breath as he once more re-adjusted his hold on the wall, his feet scrambling beneath him to keep himself stable as they continued to swirl in a rage across the ground. "Why did he leave on his own?" Vio shouted, still looking- in vain- out into the blackness of the arena around them. His teeth were ground tightly together as he tried to swallow past a fearful lump.

"Just... just do what he says for now, alright?" Green called back, having found his own hold on the wall beside them. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right about us being useless right now," he added, shaking his head angrily. "If we went in after him, we'd be running blind, and more of a hindrance than a help!"

As Vio and Green continued to shout at one another, their voices just barely audible over the roar of the sands and the constant shrieks of Scorpidae, Red had fallen silent, his eyes wide as he continued to stare into the empty, sunken darkness of the room around them. He was terrified... more afraid than he'd been in a long time. The darkness was all around them, they couldn't even see each other, Blue was gone and now Shadow was running around with that giant monster loose, without anyone to help him... And he was useless! _Again_! Just like always...

... Red blinked. The room... was it slowly... starting to come into focus? Maybe his eyes were adjusting... but faintly, just faintly, he could make out the outline of the room around him. The sands were blurry and swirling around him in a dark-grey haze, obstructing most of his view- but as Scorpidae once more roared and screeched, raging as it nearly slammed head-first into one of the walls, Red's eyes jumped- suddenly noticing the massive creature's outline. And there, next to it- though he couldn't see the outline of him, there was nothing else those two red lights could be other than-

"SHADOW!" Red suddenly shouted, his eyes widening as he leaned forward in surprise. However, his voice was drowned out by the roaring sandstorm around them- not even the others could hear him, as they still tried to figure out, in vain, what they could do- and he was instead left to helplessly watch as Scorpidae reared up in fury, its hundreds of legs beneath waving around, and its arced, scorpion tail lashing out in front of him. Was it... was it attacking Shadow?-!

He... he wasn't useless. He _wasn't_. He WOULD help!

Red's eyes narrowed in determination.

And, with a loud shout, Red leapt out from the wall, releasing his grip on the hold, and landed sharply on the shifting sands below, running as fast as he could through the darkened sandstorm towards the faint outline of Scorpidae across the room. Gasping and stumbling, once or twice falling to his knees, Red was caught off-guard multiple times by the shifting sands beneath him. But each time, shaking his head and furiously blinking the sands out of his eyes, Red pushed himself back to his feet, gritting his teeth in determination and continuing onwards. He didn't care if he couldn't see- if he was smaller than the others, or even if he'd lost his weapon. He'd still help Shadow!

A blast of darkened, purple magic shot out from Shadow's fist as he shouted aloud, leaping to side as his blast of magic sliced through another of the creature's legs. His chest was heaving and sweat was sticking to his skin, but still, Shadow's red eyes remained narrowed, glowing through the darkness as he continued to run underneath and in between the monster's legs, blasting off one after the other. He'd made the creature- he knew exactly where its weakness was, on top of its head. But there was no way he could get up there unless it fell- and since it was running blind, he could easily be unseen as he attacked leg after leg until it could no longer support its own bulk. Grinning mischievously, Shadow laughed as he dodged a severed leg falling to the ground, jumping outwards as he prepared to once more aim another blow at the monster-

And yet, his eyes widened as his heart nearly stopped. Shadow froze- and his hesitation was quickly taken advantage of. Lashing outwards, and screaming in fury and rage, Scorpidae had turned around, nearly on a dime, its wide-open and gaping mouth aimed straight at Shadow. Lashing out with its deadly, scorpion-like tail, the massive arachnid creature had finally latched on to the pest severing its limbs, locating his presence and slicing its weapon out towards him. Shadow grit his teeth as he summoned up a heavy shield of dark magic around him- but he was too late. Suddenly flung back by the blow, Shadow shouted out as he flew backwards, landing harshly into the sand on his back.

The breath had been knocked clean out of him- the shield he'd procured in the last second had protected him from the poisonous, piercing tip of the tail, but its strength alone was more than enough to knock him dizzy and senseless to the ground, his entire body fraught with pain. Cornered on its target, Scorpidae had now almost completely turned around, approaching Shadow hungrily with its always-open jaws, ready to devour him in an instant-

_"GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!-!-!"_

With a loud shout, Red suddenly jumped in between Shadow and the yawning, hungrily approaching jaws, executing a ferocious and powerful Spin Attack just as he landed. The might of his Four Sword blade cut cleanly through a heavy row of the beast's teeth, and sliced deep in the monster's flesh. Screaming in pain and recoiling sharply backwards, Scorpidae stumbled backwards, surprised and caught off-guard by the attack. And as he landed, gasping, Red quickly turned towards Shadow, extending out a hand to help him up.

"Shadow! Are you okay?" Red cried out frantically as he ran up to his friend, helping him.

"R...Red, what the hell are you doing here?-!" Shadow roared, quickly getting over the shock- and mild awe- of Red's rescue. He accepted Red's help getting up, but quickly rounded angrily on the Link, snarling, "You'll get yourself _killed_ out here if you can't see! Go back to the others!"

Shadow was expecting the Link to possibly cry, or be sad and hurt that Shadow was being so mean after he'd saved him. Heck, he was already planning his next reaction, to quickly and bluntly apologize and once more urge Red to get back to the others. And yet, Red's response caught him off-guard, and he blinked in surprise at his words.

"No! I'm not going to leave you out here on your own!" Red shouted back firmly, though still smiling. He then grinned as he laughed, "You're stuck with me, Shadow! I'm helping you not because you asked, but because I _want_ to help! Remember?"

Shadow listened to his words for a moment- then, grinning dryly, muttered, "Actually, I asked you NOT to help me." Red grinned in mock innocence, and, scoffing, Shadow looked aside, shaking his head. "But... fine. I'll look for the rod, you keep him distracted!"

Nodding eagerly, a wide, silly grin still spread across his face, Red instantly whirled around to face Scorpidae once more. The beast was slowly starting to recover from the deep gash Red had made in its mouth- and as it was blinded by the darkness, so it was having a hard time locating the Link-

"Hey, giant worm! I'm over heee-eere!" Red called out with a grin, jumping to the side and waving his arms. Like before, the darkness was still all around him, choking him with its invisibility- but he could still just barely make out the outline of the massive beast against the swirling sands. And when it turned to look at him, Red yelped in surprise and quickly jumped to the side, dodging a slice from one of its pincers just in time.

As soon as Red had taken Shadow's orders, the Link, though swearing once more under his breath, had returned once more to running around the massive creature, searching the sands for the fallen Fire Rod. The massive creature had just run past him, and Shadow quickly ducked to the side to avoid being trampled-

- His eyes suddenly went wide.

Sliding and being kicked across the sand by the last few legs of the rampaging centipede-like monster, the unarmed Fire Rod was skittering uselessly across the sands, pushed and pulled by the motions of the moving ground beneath. Instantly, the breath in his lungs froze- and, without a split second's hesitation, Shadow dove forward, reaching out with his arms to catch the instrument.

His eyes widened and his fanged grin spread across his face as his fingers wrapped tightly around its handle-

"Yes! Got it!" Shadow yelled, standing up instantly and holding the rod proudly in his hand. He frowned as he then turned it over, looking at it strangely- "How the hell do you work this thing?" he grumbled.

"HEELLLPPP!"

Raising an irritated eyebrow, Shadow looked over at Red, who was running and screaming from the approaching Scorpidae. Shadow grinned.

"Red! Catch!" he shouted, hurtling the rod towards his friend.

Stumbling over the sands, still blinded by the darkness, Red whirled around as Shadow called him. "Huh? ... OUCH!" The rod hit him square in the forehead, and, as one hand fumbled to catch it before it fell again, his other wrapped around his forehead as he winced. "Owww, Shadow! That was my head!"

"Oops, my bad," Shadow called back, though still grinning. "Maybe that'll teach him to listen to me next time," he muttered under his breath, laughing.

Red frowned, tilting a head in confusion. However, he didn't have any more time to think on it- for right behind him, a massive blast of breath came blowing across him as the massive Scorpidae, its mouth wide open, roared right behind him. Red's eyes went wide as he clenched his teeth in fear- yet he looked down at the rod in his hand, and grinned, whirling around to face the monster. It paused as Red stood in front of it- and, holding up his weapon, Red laughed.

"NOW, you're _toast_!" Red shouted with a mischievous grin, throwing up his Fire Rod in front of him and blasting the arena in its bright, red-and-orange lights, sending the massive wave of fire outwards through the darkness and into the enemy before him.

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><p><strong>Expect 47 by the end of next week. ^_^<strong>


	47. Decisions

**Sorry this is a little more late than I thought it would be, guys. :P But if it makes you feel any better, I stayed up til 3 in the morning to get this done so it'd be ready for this morning! xD **

**Hope you all enjoy it just the same! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Seven:<strong> Decisions

In an instant, the darkness had disappeared- and in a wide and radiant explosion, a blast of red and yellow light swirled upwards from a central point in the arena, illuminating the world around them in a sudden and bright flash of powerful energy. The blaze rocketed from the end of Red's Fire Rod, swirling and blasting outwards and lighting up the entire room. The shadow of the colossal creature Scorpidae flashed against the wall behind it, and in that same instant, as the light drew the beast's shadow across the arena, so the heat of the flames from the Fire Rod slammed against the monster, and the fire sizzled across its very form as it began to eat away at its owner's opponent.

Screaming and hissing in rage and pain, the monster instantly and quickly flinched backwards, rearing up and writhing in pain as its numerous insect-like legs waved around furiously in the air, its long, segmented back arced around and its ever-open mouth screeching to the high ceiling above. The flames continued to burn away at the creature, even as it jerked and writhed from side to side, even going so far as to slam its head into the side of the wall in its desperate attempt to get the flames off of it. However, the flames were persistent- and even as the fire from the tip of Red's Fire Rod died down, so the flames continued to eat away upon his enemy.

The light had returned to the arena- and, grinning, Red held up his weapon proudly, letting the fire continue to illuminate the room around him. Instantly, Shadow had run back up towards him, his fists and jaw clenched tightly and his eyes narrowed in fierce determination.

"Nice shot," Shadow sneered with a grin as he jumped up beside Red, looking triumphantly at the burning, massive insect before them.

"Thanks!" Red chirped with a bright grin-

"RED!"

Instantly, the two Links turned to the side, just in time to see Green and Vio running across the sands towards them, their eyes wide and their chests heaving, feet slipping across the sands beneath- though not tripping, being able to see their way to the others due to Red's Fire Rod.

"Guys!" Red shouted, his grin returning, "Look! We got the Fire Rod back and-"

"RED! What the _hell_ did you think you were _doing_?-!" the Link suddenly shouted at Red, his eyes narrowed in a fury Red had never seen before. The young Link's eyes went wide in shock and surprise, and he fell silent as Green continued.

"You could have been _killed_!" Green roared, his face still contorted in furious anger. Red was stunned into silence- Green never yelled at him. Green hardly ever even swore. And yet, their leader continued to shout, still out of breath. "We told you to stay with us by the wall! Do you have any idea what-"

"Shut your damn mouth, Green!"

Adding to the shock of the moment, the Links suddenly turned to see Shadow standing beside Red, fiercely snarling back at their leader.

"If it wasn't for Red," Shadow growled, his voice quieting as he jerked his thumb towards the dumbfounded Link, "I'd be _dead_ right about now. So _shut up._"

Green's eyes, though still narrowed, widened as he clenched his teeth, swallowing past his words. Red, in his surprise and hurt, could hardly tell that Green's knuckles were white from his fists clenching, and that every part of his body shook in a fear their leader couldn't contain. And in his shock, Red could not have known- The moment Green noticed Red had left the wall's side, not even Vio could hold him back as, in his sorrow, fear, and worry, Green ran into the sands, blind and helpless, though trying to get Red back. He'd nearly drowned in the sands, if not for Vio, before the fire was restored and they were able to find their way towards the two Links.

And in the tense moment of silence between the four-

Screaming once more in its rage, Scorpidae once more struck the side of the wall, causing massive chunks of solid concrete to come toppling down from where it had impacted against the arena's walls. The room was thick with the sound of its shrieks and the smell of burning insect- the fire was slowly consuming the beast, growing as it continued to engulf the monster. However, in its dying rage, blinded by pain, so it continued to stampede across the room, the sands kicking up beneath them more violently than ever.

"We don't have time for this!" Vio shouted, breaking the tension and silence of all of them as he swallowed down his own words, forcing himself to snap the others back to reality. "We need to get clear of this thing before it crushes us all!"

"Damnit! The sand is rising!" Shadow shouted, almost interrupting Vio as he pointed towards the walls. Sure enough, the ground beneath them was slowly beginning to climb up the sides of the room's walls, the ceiling slowly coming down to meet them from above...

Gritting his teeth, Red, still fearful and hurt, nodded as he held up his Fire Rod. "C'mon, everyone get to the wall!" he shouted, urging the others on. Vio and Shadow gave quick, curt nods to Red, turning and quickly bolting off, the others hot on their heels. Green had hesitated- looking almost sadly over at Red- though, bitting his lip for the moment, nodded as he too ran towards the wall, Red bringing up the rear, his torch lighting the way for them all-

And in a torrent of screams coming from both beast and child, the fire suddenly disappeared once more, plunging the room back into darkness. The eyes of the Links, though now useless, snapped open as they each whirled around, their mouths open in horror as they cried out the name of the Link who had once been behind them, but was now gone from their sight.

"RED!-!-!"

Gasping and struggling in the grasp of the monster, Red had almost dropped his Fire Rod once again as the massive claws of the beast had wrapped around him, flinging him upwards and clenching around him tightly as he soared high into the air above the arena. However, his fist only tightened more firmly around the handle of the Rod, and, struggling to ignore the pain of the claws slowly crushing his chest, he held out his rod, urging the fire to once more come forth. It did- and as the arena was alit once more, so he and the others could see the horror of their situation unfolding and becoming worse by the second.

Half-burned, with the inferno still growing over it, Scorpidae had lunged out one of its claws, grasping Red and holding him high above the ground. And though Red struggled, with only one arm free- that holding his Rod- the claw would not loosen. With wide eyes, he began to notice the other things which were slowly making his situation more and more helpless. The sands had indeed continued to rise- but just as they were rising, so the great beast Scorpidae... was sinking.

"RED! Hold on! We'll get you down from there!" Green shouted as loud as he could, already holding out his boomerang and flinging it high into the air in an attempt to slice off the claw holding his friend. Vio's bow was out and an arrow was docked as he sent one flying, and Shadow, his teeth grit in determination, had flung up his fists, sending an array of shadow magic blasts towards the creature. And yet, as if spurred on by its dying rage, the monster nimbly evaded each and every attack, still holding Red tightly in its grasp as, from its back, it began to sink into the sands, holding its treasure high above it, not willing to let go.

Instantly, Red's eyes shot up as he noticed something, while he sank and the sands rose... A... An opening! There was a tunnel out, in the wall! High above them, where they could never have reached before... But as the sands rose, he knew the others could reach it soon enough. And they had to be quick- because the sands would keep rising, and if they missed it, they would be... crushed... by the ceiling... As his brain worked, Red suddenly looked back down. Scorpidae was half-sunk through the sands, determined to take Red down with him...

Red grit his teeth.

"GUYS!" he shouted, raising his voice louder than he'd ever done. "There's a tunnel you can reach! But you don't have much time! Hurry, or you'll all drown!"

"Damnit, Red, we're NOT leaving you! Shut up!" Green shouted back, tears beginning to sting his eyes as, refusing to accept defeat, he once more stepped forward, flinging his boomerang outwards to the monster. "I'm _not_ losing Blue AND you!" he roared, tears now breaking over his eyelids and spilling down his cheeks. But it was useless- his boomerang sailed uselessly by the sinking beast, and, in his best attempt, Red gave a small smile.

"It's... it's alright," he shouted back, trying his best to grin. And as he looked over at Shadow, he remembered something... and his eyes lit up, giving the others an honest, true Red smile. "I'll be okay! We'll see each other again... I just know it!" he shouted, suddenly full of hope and inspiration. Blue... Blue had known what he was doing. And while Red didn't understand it at the time... now, he did. Red grinned as he raised his Fire Rod...

And as the door came into reach for the Links, the seconds ticking preciously away as Scorpidae sunk deeper into the sands, Red still in his grasp and now only seconds away from sinking into the sands...

... So the fire changed to ice.

And, in a sudden and instant blast from the end of Red's Ice Rod, a slice of ice magic suddenly shot out from the tip of his rod. The ice beam's aim was true- striking all of his friends in a harmless, yet forceful wave, the ice shoved all of the Links backwards into the wall, sending them flying through the opening in the tunnel. And as the ice hardened and solidified over the tunnel, with the sand rising past it... So they were now trapped behind the strong barrier of ice and sand, firmly sealed out of the danger of the rising sands.

Red gave a sad smile... And, as the beast finally sank beneath the sands, the Link calmed himself, keeping himself from panicking as he held on tight to his Ice Rod, knowing he had not much time left before the claw grasping him followed its owner into the sands.

Clenching his teeth, he swallowed past a lump in his throat and spoke shakily and quietly, his voice nearly drowned out by the roars of the sands which were dragging him downwards.

"Blue... I... I did the right thing... right...?"

Closing his eyes, Red took a deep breath, and held it tight-

- and finally sank beneath the sands.

* * *

><p><em>"NO!-!"<em>

Shouting out again, Green once more slammed his fists against the thick sheet of ice. He no longer cared that the tears had dried and burned his eyes, and the last few left on his cheeks were dropping down to the floor below. He once more pounded on the ice- a thin, minuscule crack appeared there, but as if by magic, suddenly and smoothly disappeared, as if repairing itself. Once more, Green swore under his breath- it was magic ice. What else had he expected? He suddenly felt weak- and fell to his knees, his head leaning against the wall of frozen ice.

The other two had fallen silent. Vio's eyes were wide as he stared, disbelieving, at the sheet of ice. They could clearly see the other side of the ice- but beyond the sand, there was nothing. The sand had entirely filled the room they'd once been in- and, with it, the monster had taken Red into its depths. He was stunned, struck into silence- and he could find no words at all. First Blue... now Red...?

Vio felt a hollow pit in his stomach. Red was the cheerful one of the bunch... the one who was supposed to always be beside them, telling them things were going to be okay. He told them they would see each other again, but... would they? Vio closed his eyes to try and block out the thoughts- but all he could see when he did so was Red's silly, bright grin. Would he really be able to see his friend again...?

Shadow had also fallen silent, having only recently gotten back to his feet after the ice slammed them all safely inside the tunnel. Red was gone, too... Was he even safe? He'd ben dragged underneath the sands by the monster... Only minutes before the fight, he and Red had been talking, and he'd even managed to cheer up the Link and make a friend out of him. Had he so quickly lost another friend, just as he had with Blue?

And yet, just as quickly, he remembered that moment when Red had looked at him and smiled- telling the others he'd be okay, even as he was dragged under the sands. Red had remembered what they'd talked about- and he made his decision, like Blue had. Shadow set his jaw firmly- and his eyes trailed over to Green, who had finally fallen silent, still kneeling by the ice. Shakily, Shadow took a step forward, placing a silent, consoling hand on Green's shoulder...

"... I failed them..."

Blinking in surprise, Shadow looked down at their leader, whose voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear him.

Green's face was twisted in grief. "I failed them both," he choked out, gritting his teeth. "I couldn't-"

However, before he could say another word, he gasped as he was suddenly dragged upwards, his back slammed against the ice as he was thrown to the side. Green and Vio stared, wide-eyed and in shock, at Shadow, who had, curling his lip in rage, lifted up Green and tossed him into the ice wall, so forcefully it had made the wall crack under the impact, knocking Green's breath out of him.

"Shut up!" Shadow roared at their leader, rage building in him. "Stop wallowing in self-pity! You're our leader, so act like one!" His fists tightened beside him as he continued. "What did both of them say? To _keep going_! You think either of them would want to see you like this?-! Is _this_ why they did it?-!"

There was a stunned silence as Green looked wide-eyed at Shadow. He opened his mouth- no words came out, and he closed it. He struggled for words... But everything he thought of, he quickly dashed away, eventually no longer able to meet Shadow's eyes, and looking away, his teeth clenched angrily. He closed his eyes- and, swiftly wiping away the trails of wetness from his cheeks the tears had left, he pushed himself away from the wall, brushing harshly past Vio and Shadow.

"... Let's go, then," he finally said, his voice shallow and almost empty, his back to the others. "We... we're running out of time." Without another word, Green continued walking down the tunnel, ignoring the others as he continued onwards.

Still stunned, Vio continued to walk after Green- and as Shadow, without a word, continued to walk by him, Vio's eyes suddenly narrowed in intense fury.

"Why the hell did you do that to him?" Vio hissed under his breath towards Shadow as the two walked, a considerable distance behind Green, who was still trying to push himself away from the two subsequent tragedies that had befallen them. Vio himself was already struggling enough with accepting both the loss of Blue and Red... but as for Green? He couldn't imagine the pain their leader was experiencing, and the guilt. What right did Shadow have to get mad at him for it?

"Why do you _think_?" Shadow snapped back without hesitation, just as fiercely, looking over at Vio with burning, red eyes. "You think I like this any more than you do? But we still need a leader who can hold it together. We're not gonna get anywhere with Green weighing himself down with guilt. We've got to keep going." Quickly, he looked away from Vio as he kept walking.

Another silence pushed the two further apart- until Vio finally spoke again, his voice quiet and hurt.

"... Maybe I _was_ right, then." When Shadow looked back at him, Vio continued, gritting his teeth, "Maybe you _have_ changed. You could care less that both Blue and Red are gone." His voice shook, as if he was forcing himself to say what he did- did he even believe it, himself?

Shadow fell silent, the words hurting him more than he'd care to admit. He looked away- but replied coldly and calmly, "Have you forgotten what happens if we fail, Vio? Blue and Red haven't- that's why they sacrificed themselves so we could keep going." He looked back at his friend with blazing, fierce eyes. "And if I end up being lost next, then I expect both of you to keep going without me, too."

The words shocked Vio, and his eyes widened as he blinked in surprise. Shadow frowned, continuing- his voice growing dark and morose.

"It doesn't matter whether we live or die- so long as we succeed."

Vio could not think of a response, Shadow's words leaving a hollow and empty spot in his chest. Was this true...? Frowning, Vio grit his teeth.

"... You're wrong, Shadow."

Unfazed, Shadow merely looked back at Vio as if to ask why.

However, before Vio could open his mouth to respond-

"... Look alive, you two. There's an exit ahead."

Green's voice interrupted the two's conversation- and yet, it did not hold the typical, lively and confident tone of their leader. Instead, it was almost dead to them- cold and blunt. The two of the Links looked ahead to find Green paused a few feet in front of them, the light of an opening reaching out not too far in the distance. Vio didn't like how Green was acting- but, with the lump in his own throat not yet worked out, he said nothing, instead walking up next to Green and nodding to assert he was ready. Shadow said nothing, instead stood behind them- and, without another word, the three Links passed through the barrier of light into the next room.

And after they had passed through the tunnel-

With hardly any reaction to the heroes, the tunnel behind them suddenly slammed shut. A wall of stone had slid out from underneath the ground, blocking the entrance they had come from. However, the three of them were almost numb to it- and aside from looking around at their new surroundings, the two gripping tight their swords as the other began to summon his dark magic, they hardly reacted to the slamming door, as if it were nothing at all.

However, despite their numbness to the seemingly-threatening sight of the door sealing behind them, the three Links reacted in shock at the surroundings around them, their jaws opening in disbelief as they looked around.

"What the..."

"... Impossible..."

"... This can't be right..."

At a loss for words, the three Links tilted their heads far back as they squinted against the dull grey of the dark clouds against an even darker sky around them. All around them were clouds- even below them, as the darkened, murky sky stretched on forever in all directions. The room they were in- if it could even be called a room- lacked any walls- aside from the one they had just come from- and was devoid of a roof, and the floor itself was a broken series of platforms, scattered across a small section which seemed to float above the sky, with nothing beneath them. A soft wind was blowing- the final nail in the coffin which told the others they were not dreaming- that this was all real.

Still disbelieving, Vio took a cautious step forward, looking around-

"-Ah!"

Gasping in shock, Vio's eyes widened as he suddenly found himself falling down into the sky-

In an instant, Green and Shadow were at his side, each of them grasping their friend's wrist as they knelt on the ground, reaching over and keeping their friend from plummeting off the platform. The floor beneath him had sunk beneath his step- and, groaning, the two Links quickly hoisted Vio back over the edge, now even more cautious as they took care in each step.

"Thanks," Vio finally gasped as he regained his senses, shaking his head and regaining his footing on the ground. "The tiles sink..."

"Some of them, anyways," Shadow growled, lifting a foot idly as he looked at the tile beneath him- it was solid, and didn't give way under his weight. However, he carefully stepped on another tile- and quickly jumped out of the way as it slowly began to sink. Just in time, he was back on solid ground as the tile he stood on fell into the sky below.

Green frowned, holding up his sword. "Think we'll face the dragon here?" he growled bitterly, looking around them suspiciously at the harrowing, dark-grey and cloudy skies around them.

"Seems about right," Vio replied curtly, frowning and also holding tight his own sword.

Shadow raised an eyebrow as he looked over at the two- they were hardly the team he knew without the over-confident Blue and the reassuring Red. And their loss had also negatively affected both Green and Vio- both of them were lacking their usual determination and spirit that had always carried them through their battles. The Link of darkness snarled, furious that they were letting themselves suffer. He turned towards them to say something-

In an instant, the relative peace of the room was shattered by the slicing, piercing sound of a crackling explosion as a bright, harsh light flashed across the skies around them. Much too close for comfort, a sudden shaft of thick and terrifying lightning had burst from one of the darker clouds, and as its light stunned the Links, causing them all to instantly look towards the skies, so the impressive show of electricity had merely served as an opening show for the monstrosity they were to face.

For as the clouds burst open all around them, dowsing the world around them in a torrent of ceaseless and heavy rain, lightning flashing all around them and the wind harshly blowing the vicious rain in all directions, so it was not the only thing which escaped from the clouds. And as the lightning once more shrieked across the sky, another sound split the fabric of the world as not one, but two terrifying, bestial roars burst forth from the clouds, and the beast flew down from above, lightning flashing all around it.

Its wings beat ferociously through the wild winds and rain, and as its two necks flailed around, so both heads opened their mouths to roar, flashing their teeth against the painful, flashing rays of the lightning around them. Their eyes were empty and white, and atop each of their heads was a glowing, white circle. The rest of the monster's body was just as the two remembered it- four heavy and muscular legs beneath, two tails ending in scythes at the end, and spikes crossing down their necks.

Having returned from the depths of hell, the Fused Draconic Monstrosity, Aghorgra, flew down over the heroes, slicing through the wind and rain as it just barely passed over their heads, soaring over the arena of disconnected, floating platforms and through the wild, relentless storm.

Instantly, as the dragon had flown towards them, so the three heroes had quickly and nimbly ducked close to the ground, narrowly evading the slicing claws of the dragon. Its initial attack missed- though more for show than offense- the dragon flew past them, rising through the pounding rains as it circled up, wide and high in the sky, preparing to turn and once more attack.

The three Links were now drenched to the bone, and as they got up, careful to keep their hold on the now-wet and slippery platforms, they couldn't help but look at each other in wide-eyed horror. The rain continued to buffet them from all sides as lightning, furious and relentless, continued to flash around them like terrifying and deadly fireworks, lighting up their terrified faces in brief flashes of yellow light.

However, their shock could only last for so long.

"Hold your positions!" Green shouted, gritting his teeth as he tightened the grip on his sword, putting away his shield as he needed to stay balanced on the precarious ground. "We'll have to do what we did last time, and attack its heads!"

"There were four of us, last time!" Vio shouted back, their voices needing to be raised in order to her each other over the roar of the pounding rains. "How are we going to beat it with just three?-!" He also noted, with wide eyes, that both necks were lacking the chains with which the Links had used to defeat them last time.

Shadow's hair was plastered against his face as the rain poured down all around him. Quickly, he brushed aside a few soaked, black locks which the wind had blown into his face, looking up into the sky with burning, red eyes. Shrieking as it flew overhead, Aghorgra was slowly but surely circling around, changing its direction back to the heroes as it prepared for a second attack. Snarling, the hero of darkness whirled around to the others.

"Both of you, get your acts together!" he roared at them, snarling as he tightened his hands into fists. "I'll distract it and you two go for the heads! And damnit, whatever you do,_ don't fall_!"

"Shadow, wait!" Green yelled in response, taking a step forward-

However, quick to once again move into position, Shadow had already leapt away, jumping off the tile he'd been standing safely on and landing on another. His heart did a somersault in his chest as he landed- was this tile safe? No! It began to sink, and quickly he leapt to another. It was safe- though as his feet stumbled, and a tile next to him began to fall, he quickly kept his balance back- realizing then that he was standing on one lone tile, with empty space around him, the next solid ground a large leap away. He grit his teeth- and, once more raising his eyes to the opened flood gates of the sky, lifted his fists high above him. The dragon was returning for more- well, he would _give_ it more.

Instantly, springing from his fists at its master's commands, came the all-too-familiar blasts of darkened, black and purple shadow magic, soaring high through the rains and slamming into the two heads of the dragon. However, the blasts seemed ineffectual to harming the creature- as they were struck, the two heads of Aghorgra turned and roared in fury, yet quickly recovered, setting their white-eyed sights straight on Shadow as they dove in towards the platforms once again.

"Damnit! What's he planning?" Vio swore, his eyes narrowing as he and Green watched, helplessly, as Shadow ran off on his own to be the distraction.

Snapping back to being the leader, Green shook his head. "Doesn't matter," he said sharply, "Just get on one side of Shadow and I'll get on the other. He's obviously drawing it to him, so we need to be ready to attack when we need to! Hurry!"

Vio gave a quick nod, turning away from Green and leaping away from platform to platform, careful to keep off the ones which began to fall. His eyes darted over to Shadow, in the center of the arena, surrounded by emptiness. Green was right... whatever he had planned, they had to be ready. Ready to help... in whatever way they could.

He frowned as this thought began to draw across his mind... Just as Blue and Red had done what they could, even when they didn't know what was going to happen to them, in order to help the others...

Quickly, he shook these thoughts out of his mind by shaking his head, the rain still pounding down at him from all angles. He didn't have time to think these things- they had to defeat this monster, they _had_ to win... nothing else mattered... And by this thought, he remembered what Shadow had told him. Was Shadow right...? Did it not matter whether they lived or died, so long as they were victorious in the end?

Shadow grinned as the dragons drew close to him. This was exactly what he wanted. "Alright, just come here, that's right, come to me, straight to your death, you little bastards," he hissed under his breath, the shadow magic growing even larger around his fists as he readied himself for the impact of the monstrosity. And as the lightning once more flashed all around him, the yellow light bounced off the wide, burning red eyes of the Link as the dragon finally reached its target.

Screaming aloud in his fury, the magic around his fists twisting in even more powerful rage than normal, Shadow suddenly and quickly knelt down on the platform, slamming both of his fists harshly into the ground beneath him. In a split second, the shadow magic from his fists exploded outwards, sending a massive wave of powerful dark energy bursting forth from around the child and slicing across the wind and rain around him.

Aghorgra had, with both necks outstretched and jaws agape, lunged quickly and fiercely towards the Link of shadows- and yet, as the sudden and unexpected attack flew from around him, so the massive beast was struck by the wave, screeching and roaring in hate and fury as it flailed backwards, its wings flapping weakly to barely keep itself in the air. And for a split second, the two heads writhed and flailed around, screeching in fury, its two scorpion-ended tails hanging uselessly behind it and its wings weakly struggling to keep itself airborne-

From either side, their silver swords glistening against the drenching rain and the flashes of lighting, the two heroes leapt across the voids of sky below, each from either side of the platforms as they jumped in to attack their weakened and stunned enemy. Their Four Swords, proud and majestic, flew over them as, gripped tight in their fists, the two Links jumped forward, aiming straight for the glowing, white circles atop each of the dragons' heads. The both of them had been ready- and at Shadow's devastating attack, each had seized the moment and used it to strike.

Almost in unison, the two swords sunk deep into the heads of the two dragons, both blades plunging through the glowing, white circles, the swords almost up to their golden hilts.

The rain came down in heavy sheets, the sound breaking past all others as it did- but even in the roar of the rain and thunder and the clash of lightning, everything seemed to fall silent for that very moment as Green and Vio, holding firm their swords, knelt still atop the dragons' heads, Aghorgra's blank, white eyes staring back at them in an unfeeling daze. The great beast seemed to hang lifelessly in the air for a moment, its wings ceasing their frantic beating and its entire body frozen from the double, fatal impact...

And, as soon as the moment had begun, so it had ended.

With a massive burst of ear-piercing and shrieking screams, the two dragons threw their heads backwards, their jaws opening as roars and bellows burst from their jowls, screeching of their rage and pain as their wings beat frantically behind them, and their two tails lashed at anything and everything in the air around them. Shouting aloud, quickly withdrawing their blades from the heads of their enemy, Vio and Green quickly and nimbly leapt off the dragons' tossing and turning heads, landing on the platforms below.

As soon as they landed, Green's eyes had turned up towards the dragon as he kept a careful watch on where it was going, and what it would be doing next. However, while Green kept a careful eye on their enemy- Vio's attention was jerked, wide-eyed, to the center of the arena, where Shadow remained kneeling on the center platform. His body was absolutely soaked, dripping wet from the rain- he could even see him lightly shivering from the cold- but what terrified him most was his expression.

His eyes were tightly shut, and his lips pulled back as his teeth ground together, as if suppressing immense pain. His arms shook as he held himself up from the ground- but it was not from the cold. Vio hadn't thought of it before, but... the attack Shadow had used was more powerful than he had seen him do before. With one wave, it had knocked Aghorgra dazed long enough for him and Green to land the killing blow. At what cost had this come from Shadow?

Shadow's words came back to haunt Vio:

_"... And if I end up being lost next, then I expect both of you to keep going without me, too."_

Was this what Shadow had planned? To give all his energy in one attack so they could quickly defeat Aghorgra and move on? Vio's eyes widened in realization and rage.

"Shadow!" he roared, taking a step forward as he prepared to shout towards his friend-

"VIO! SHADOW! LOOK OUT!" Green suddenly interrupted, his eyes snapping open wide at what he was seeing. Quickly, the leader of the Links leapt to the side, wrapping an arm around Vio's shoulder and shoving him to the ground. Seconds after the two heroes hit the floor, a massive rush of wind blasted overtop of them, and Vio's wide eyes shot up as he saw Aghorgra, in its fury, flying wildly over head of them, screaming and roaring and flailing around in blind and unchained hatred.

As Green had shouted, Shadow had jerked his head up to see what was the matter- and yet, he stood still, his eyes widening and his muscles tensing as if awaiting the impact. And though in that instant, Vio wondered helplessly why Shadow was not trying to get away, he already knew the answer- Shadow closed his eyes as he accepted his defeat, his energy gone with the attack he'd performed. And just as he did, so the enraged and wildly-driven Aghorgra flew straight into the child, its claws and teeth gnashing in all directions and its wings beating wildly into the air.

Shadow gasped, the wind knocked out of him, as he was suddenly slammed against by the massive dragon, knocked by one of its heads off his platform. However, a split second later, so the dragon continued flying by, with one of is trailing tails knocking Shadow once again before he had a chance to completely fall off the edge. The blade on its edge sliced through Shadow's blackened tunic- and as the Link was thrown to the side, landing harshly on the tiles nearby, even through the rain and stormy winds Vio could see a dark, bold streak of red seeping its way through his clothes. Grunting in pain, Shadow wrapped an arm around his waist, where the blade had sliced almost entirely through him-

And suddenly, as a feeling of weightlessness began to overtake him, Shadow's eyes went wide. The tiles beneath him- they were sinking- Shadow took one last breath as he understood what was going to happen-

The floor beneath him gave way, and the Link suddenly plunged down.

"_NO_!"

Shouting aloud and leaping back to his feet, his eyes wide and his heart pounding, Vio quickly and instantly leapt upwards as he ran to the tiles which had fallen, forgetting everything- forgetting the rage of the storm and the furious dragon flying around them- as he leapt over the side, arms outstretched to catch him before he fell-

Gasping, Vio suddenly felt himself come to a sudden stop, as he could feel someone pulling at his ankles from above. He could hear Green swearing and cursing at him as he tried to keep his friend from falling into the sky-abyss below- but all this happened in a split second, and his eyes were wide as his hand stretched out as far as it could, eventually clenching shut when it had gone as far as it could.

Gasping, dangling from one arm, Shadow's red eyes went wide, and he looked up a panic to see who had saved him. Vio's eyes were closed in concentration and effort as he struggled to hold Shadow's weight, himself being held by Green, who was the only one still standing on the platforms above. And as Shadow now weighed Vio down, who weighed Green down... Once more, Green's shouts came from above as he began to slip on the wet platforms, shouting something down to the Links that they couldn't hear.

"D... Damnit, Vio!" Shadow finally managed to choke out, his eyes wide. "Let me go!" he roared, shaking his head as rain flew all around them, "Green can't hold us both! I'm useless now, anyways!" he added, swearing out himself as he grit his teeth, another wave of pain from the growing red stain on his waist splashing over him and making his whole body shake in agony.

"You... you're wrong, Shadow!" Vio shouted back, grunting with the effort. Sweat mixed with rain as it raced down his temples, and his eyes opened to look back down at Shadow. He grit his teeth- "You're wrong... about both! You're not useless... and... and it DOES matter! Whether we live or die... It matters to US! To _each other!"_

Shadow's eyes were narrowed, and as the rain raced over his face, he was only thankful that it meant Vio could not distinguish which drops of wetness were rain and which were his tears.

"Sh... shut up, shut the _hell_ up, and let me go already, you idiot!" the Link of darkness shouted back, his voice cracking under the stress and emotion. "Or we'll _all_ fall!"

"Guys! I... I can't hold... for much long...!" Green's voice once more shouted over the roar of the rain, but aside from a few broken and scattered words, the two who dangled over the edge could hardly hear him. Vio's eyes went wide and he gasped as he was suddenly jerked forward, stopping only seconds after. Green's grip was slipping, there was no way he could hold them both on his own. None of them could. Shadow was right- but he was still wrong... he mattered to them. And he would show him.

Vio's eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth, swallowing past his doubts- and, he noticed with quiet relief, also swallowing away the lump that had been there for quite some time. Instead, his angry frown was now replaced with a dry, almost bitter, smile.

"I'll prove to you... you're wrong...!"

Shadow's eyes went wide in panic.

"N-No! Vio!" he shouted, suddenly scrambling to find his voice as he began to understand what Vio meant. _"DON'T-!"_

But it was too late.

Still wearing his grin, and shouting aloud, Vio summoned all the strength he could, and in one quick motion, flung his outstretched arm over him, throwing the Link who he held above him and back onto the platforms. Shadow shouted aloud as he was flung upwards, landing harshly on the tile floor above-

-but Vio's move had cost him. Just as he knew it would.

For in the instant which Vio had thrown Shadow back to safety, his own grip on Green's hand had weakened- and finally, in that moment, crumbled away into nothing. The rain soaked him to the bone- and as the lightning flashed once more time, Vio's grip was finally lost on his friend, and all of a sudden, the clouds and sky all around him rushed upwards to meet him as he fell down into the sky, sucked in by the rain and the lightning and the clouds of the sinking abyss.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**DUN DUN DUUUNNNN.**

**Can this really be true? First Blue... Now Red, and even Vio, too?-! How will the Links be able to continue on? What will they face next?**

**These answers and more in the next chapter- hopefully up by the end of this week! :D**


	48. Adjunct

**Hey guys, sorry again for the wait. Also, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I don't think I'll be able to end on Chapter Fifty. No, the way things are going... it's going to quite a few chapters past fifty. xD**

**So, hope you guys are still willing to stick around a little while longer for the conclusion! :D Until then...**

**Enjoy! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Eight:<strong> Adjunct

* * *

><p>"NOOOOOO!-!-!"<p>

Shadow's shouts roared over the rage of the storm and the screaming dragon around him as he scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide, lunging once more at the area of platforms where Vio had fallen. His heart caught in his throat, and his entire body felt cold- where his friend had disappeared into the clouds below, there was now nothing left. He could see nothing- just the endless downpour of rain and the flashes of lightning which lit up his horror-stricken face. He felt frozen to the spot- but as time snapped back from its standstill around him, Shadow found himself leaping forward, jumping off the platform to go get his friend back-

"NO! DAMNIT SHADOW, _DON'T_!"

His feet had barely left the platforms before Shadow felt a sudden force shove him backwards, and he landed with a sharp gasp on his back against the tile after someone had jumped in between him and the endless pit around them, knocking him backwards and onto the platforms. Shadow looked up with wide eyes- soaked to the bone, his bangs plastered messily to his face, and his entire garb drenched and clinging to his skin, Green was standing over Shadow, lightly panting from having shoved his friend aside from leaping into the pit along with Vio.

Green wasted not a moment. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he ran quickly up to Shadow, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulder as he hoisted him up.

"_Get up_! Come on, Shadow, that thing is coming back!" Green shouted as he struggled to heave Shadow upwards, still looking frantically around him. Aghorgra was terribly wounded, yet all its senses had gone, and it instead flew around them in a mad rage. Its eyes were firmly shut, and the white glowing circles atop its heads continued to expel the blinding, dying light from its center. However, still, it flapped around madly, and began its frenzied descent- its trajectory setting right upon the two remaining Links.

The Link of darkness was still in shock. His eyes were wide, his mind rambling, _Vio isn't gone, he's not gone, he's not dead, he didn't fall, that didn't happen, Vio's not dead, he's NOT dead!_ And yet as Green shoved him upwards, even all these were knocked aside and he gasped and shouted aloud, stumbling back and wincing ferociously as he clapped his arm tightly over his waist. Surprised, Green looked down to Shadow's side- and when the Link's fingers tenderly were removed from his waist, bright red blood stuck to his palm, and seeped through a slice in his blackened tunic.

Green swore heavily as he grunted, once more helping Shadow to regain his footing by keeping his arm wrapped around his shoulder. He didn't know Shadow had been wounded- his mind was racing as quickly as he could. Vio was gone. He'd fallen down off the platforms in order to save Shadow. And Aghorgra was still not dead- it was headed right towards them, blinded and maddened, and as powerful as ever. He had to think of something- he had to do something, or they would both die. His eyes jumped back up to the dragon as it approached- his time was quickly running out-

And in that instant, Green's eyes snapped wide.

"Shadow, just hold on! _Don't let go!_" The leader of the Links roared as he braced himself, re-adjusting his grip on holding Shadow up as he opened his other arm wide and ready, his eyes focused firmly on the approaching dragon. The winds were blowing ferociously, the lightning sliced across the sky and the great black beast burst through the grey clouds, screaming and roaring and its claws wide open towards them as it finally swooped down upon them-

"_NOW_!" Green shouted, as loud as he could, as he leapt upwards- and forwards.

Green's aim was near-perfect. As the dragon flew towards them, nearing the edge of the platform it had turned quickly upwards, its wings beating powerfully against the air as it made to soar back upwards into the sky- but as it did so, it suddenly shrieked in rage and confusion, its heads tossing furiously around as it felt something that hadn't been before. And as the giant beast soar higher and higher into the sky, so its wings had to beat harder to support it- for it raced into the blackened, storming skies of the abyss with two passengers upon it.

His hands was almost slipping- swearing once more, Green readjusted his grip around one of the dragon's neck, not allowing himself a moment to think he would fall. Instead, with one arm wrapped around the dragon and the other holding a wounded Shadow upright behind him, Green could only focus on one thing- hanging on as tightly as he could.

Finally, in the sudden action, Shadow felt his voice come back to him.

"What in the _hell_ are we _doing?-?-!"_ the Link shouted, his eyes wide as he held on tight to the dragon's neck beneath him. "Green, are you _insane?-!_" He could hardly even hear himself screaming, the roar of the wind and the rain and the dragon had only gotten worse since boarding the insane ride and flying through the air at who-knows-how-many miles per hour.

"Just work with me on this!" Green shouted back, the wind whipping them all around as he struggled to stay on the dragon. Once more, Aghorgra screamed as it whipped its two heads around, its powerful wings beating through the storm behind it. However, as Green fought past the blinding winds and rains, he squinted ahead of them- and his eyes widened at what he saw.

They had been flying away from the platforms at a speed Green couldn't even imagine- yet he never would've guessed what they would run into. And with another loud screech, the dragon swooped high in the sky, dive bombing amidst the clouds and the rain and arcing in between several tall, thick stone towers scattered across the tops of the clouds through which they soared. The pitch-black sky was once more split by the furious crack of lightning, and as the yellow light scored across the area around them and lit up Green's face, the Link finally understood what they needed to do.

"Shadow!" Green shouted, alerting his friend as he re-adjusted his hold around Shadow's shoulder. "When I say jump, JUMP! Alright?"

"YOU ARE _OUT_ OF YOUR GODDAMNED _MIND_!"

"Good!" Green responded quickly with a dry grin, looking back ahead of him as he leaned forward, still tightly gripping Shadow with one arm and the neck of the dragon beneath him with the other. He held his breath as the dragon continued to soar across the storming sky, clenching his jaw and holding on tight for the crazy and dangerous ride as the beast twisted left and right, weaving in and out of the towers, diving down only to soar drastically upwards and turn once again, in its enraged effort to get rid of its passengers. The leader of the Links' eyes narrowed as he held on tight- oh, they'd leave… when the time was just… right…

In its fury, Aghorgra raced towards one of the towers, screaming as it came in for a close impact. Wait for it… almost… there…!

"Okay, now! _JUMP!"_ Green shouted, as loud as he could, as, with one arm still around Shadow's shoulders to hold him up, he let go of the dragon beneath him- and in the next instant, so the sky was once more alive with explosive sounds as the great beast Aghorgra flew head-first into the massive tower, its entire frame slamming to a sudden halt as it made contact with the harsh stone walls. And with the winds blasting them from all directions and the rain drenching them from above, the two Links leapt off their ride, crossing over the barrier of emptiness beneath them, aimed for the window of the crumbling tower before them…

And as the top of the tower crumbled around them, rocks falling from all places where the dragon had met its demise, crushed into the tower and falling into the abyss along with the crumbling fragments of boulders broken off from the stone by the collision, the two Links found themselves falling through the window of the tower- and falling even further down, past the nonexistent floor, until their shouting voices, echoing up and across the empty stone walls of the tower, died down into silence as they fell deeper and deeper into the depths of the tower.

* * *

><p>The floor met them quite suddenly and surprisingly- yet as their screams were suddenly silenced by the impact, the greatest surprise of them all was just what they had fallen into. Green's eyes were wide, and his breath had stopped- and, keeping it held as long as he could, the Link looked frantically around him, his movements slowed by the cascading pool of water all around him. They had plunged out of the rain, deep into the tower, and into this water- and, with a start, Green saw a faint grey figure some distance away, slowly sinking deeper below…<p>

Wasting not a second, the Link swam as fast as he could over towards Shadow, whose eyes were closed, and once more wrapped his arm around his friend's midsection. His lungs were choking, he needed air- his chest tightened as he held his breath, and, setting his sights above him, Green swam as fast as he could towards the surface, his time and breath running out-

With a flurry of water, Green burst from the surface of the pool, gasping in the sweet air as he swam to the top, his arms still wrapped around the unconscious Shadow. His eyes moved frantically- they were in some sort of cavern, with dim lighting and walls surrounding the pool- but there! At the end of the pool, he spotted land. Rough and rocky ground, like the tower walls around them, but still land. Wasting not a second more he quickly swam over to the surface, grunting as he pulled himself onto the rock and hoisted Shadow onto the ground after him.

As he pulled his friend out of the water, letting him lean against the side of the wall, Green gave a heavy sigh of relief as Shadow suddenly began to cough, lurching forward and tightly squinting his eyes as he came to. Once more, his entire body winced as he wrapped an arm around his side, and he continued to cough out the water that had gotten into his lungs- but he was alright. Once more sighing in relief, Green sank down to his knees, closing his eyes as he realized it was finally time that they could relax.

"Shadow… you okay, there…?" Green asked, giving a light smile as he looked over at the Link.

Stifling his coughing fit and blinking open his eyes, Shadow snarled as he glared over at the other, "What… what does it _look_ like?-!" he snapped. Green frowned in resentment- and, biting back his remarks, Shadow bitterly narrowed his eyes, looking away.

Green sighed as he let it go, sitting down on the cave ground and holding his forehead in the palm of his hands. "Well, at the very least, we're safe, now," he said, shaking his head- which had begun to hurt quite a lot. He ignored this, however, and instead looked back at Shadow- most importantly, at the red stain growing on his tunic. They had bigger problems to worry about.

"Damn," Green sighed, shaking his head, nervously rubbing the back of his neck and mumbling under his breath. "I'd give my left hand for a Red Potion right about now…"

Shadow looked up in surprise.

Frowning, Green reached above him, taking his hat off his head and wringing it dry, water splashing on the stone ground beneath him. Once it was relatively dry, Green smiled, holding it out and offering it to Shadow.

"Here," he said, giving a grim smile, "It's not much, but… Use it for your wound."

Shadow looked over in surprise at Green's offering- but, smirking, pushed it away. "I don't need your offering, Green," he snapped. Green blinked in surprise, and opened his mouth to retaliate- but, laughing dryly, Shadow reached up and tugged his own hat off, sneering, "black absorbs the color better, anyways. Wouldn't want to get blood all over your tunic." He winced as he pressed it against his side, hoping to apply pressure to stop the blood flow. Snarling, he looked back up at Green, snapping fiercely, "The _hell_ kind of screwed up plan _was_ that, anyways?"

Sheepish, Green gave a grin, putting his hat back on. He shrugged, "I don't know… I know it was crazy, but seemed like the only option at the time. Though," he added with a dry laugh, "I'll bet Vio would never have approved of it. Seems more like something Blue would suggest-" however, in his talking, Green suddenly froze as he realized what he said. Frowning, he looked back down at Shadow- who had also froze, his eyes wide, as the tender and heart wrenching subject was accidentally brought up.

Green grit his teeth, looking away into the rest of the cavern. The stone walls of the tower led away into a tunnel, one where the light was coming from. Finally, after a tense and heavy silence, he muttered, "… Anyways… we should get moving… we don't know how much time we-"

"How can you _say_ that?" Shadow suddenly snapped, his voice hollow and bitter as his eyes focused hatefully on Green. In surprise and confusion, the leader looked back at Shadow, who was still leaning against the wall, looking furiously at him.

"Damnit, how can you just keep _going_?" the Link continued, the hurt and rage bubbling up in him as he choked to keep them down. "Vio is… we've… There are only two of us now… how the hell can you just keep _going?_ After all that we've _lost!"_ His voice ended on a reverberating shout as his fist came slamming down on the cold hard ground beneath him.

There was another tense silence following Shadow's outburst- yet it was broken much sooner than before, by a calm smile and a quiet response.

"… Funny, I almost wanted to ask _you_ the same thing, back in the earlier tunnel."

Shadow blinked in confusion and surprise, and Green continued, sighing as he walked back up to Shadow.

"… Look, I _know_ they're alive," Green insisted firmly, smiling as he knelt down beside Shadow. "I don't know how I know, but I just know. I believe they are- I _have_ to believe they are. If I stopped now, and they really are alive, they'd never forgive me for just giving up. We have to have faith, Shadow- we have to _believe_ they're still alive, and keep going for their sake. Otherwise we'd have nothing." The leader took a deep breath, but gave a reassuring smile as he finished, "We haven't lost everything, Shadow- not yet. We can still keep going- if we believe they're okay. We _have_ to believe they're okay."

The words struck a chord in Shadow, and he looked back at Green in surprise and silence. Could he… could he still believe they were okay? Sure, Blue at first seemed fine… Red's loss was worse, as they could not be sure he was okay… but Vio… he'd fallen headfirst into an endless sky. The chances they were still alive… He looked back up at Green's smiling face, and bit his lip in resistance. Green had turned his own words against him- but he was right all the same. Embittered and silenced, he looked away.

Green gave a smirk. "Alright then? Good. Now let's get a move on-" he paused himself as he looked down at Shadow's side, where his hat was still laid against his wound. "Do you, uh… need me to carry you…?" he asked with a weak smile, a bit unsure, looking over at his friend.

"Don't patronize me," Shadow growled resentfully, pushing against the wall as he moved to stand on his own. "…I'm _fine_."

Though Green stepped forward to catch him if he fell, Shadow quickly pushed him away, standing on his own and taking a few staggering steps by himself, eventually moving into a pattern of a slow, yet steady walk, away from Green and towards the tunnel ahead. The leader of the Links sighed, shaking his head- but, knowing he could do little else, walked alongside him quietly as they moved through the tunnel.

* * *

><p>The rest of the walk was spent in silence as the two remaining Links continued onwards through the dark and damp tunnel. Once or twice, Green tried to start a conversation, though Shadow would have none of it, and would look away, still lost in his own thoughts and the pain in his waist still bogging him down. Eventually, Green gave up- figuring it would be best to walk in silence until Shadow said what he need to say- and continued onwards through the tunnel.<p>

Finally, a light shone brighter at the end of the passageway- Green set his jaw firmly as he took a deep breath, preparing himself mentally and physically for what they might face. Shadow remained as quiet as he had been- and though Green glanced his way, the Link didn't give any indication of response. Once more sighing in defeat, the leader shook his head and continued walking until the two had reached the barrier of light, easily and quietly crossing through it and into the next chamber.

… It was not surprising, then, to the leader of the Links, just where they now stood.

The faint smell of water drifted along the damp, humid air around them, and the reflective, glowing surface of the water lining the perimeter of the circular arena bounced across the stone walls in an aqua-tinted glaze. The path they stood on led in a small, narrow rock bridge to the center of the arena, which stood out amongst the water as a sturdy, stone circular platform. Water lapped the sides of it, reaching from the island stranded platform to the edges of the large room.

"Well," Green said, gritting his teeth as he began to walk across the stone bridge to the center platform, readying his sword, "guess it's only obvious we'll be-"

"Wait, what the hell is _this_?"

Green paused in mid-sentence, blinking as he turned to look at Shadow. However, the Link seemed just as confused as he was- and, enraged, Shadow looked over towards his leader with an infuriated snarl.

"I thought we would be reaching Veran and Onox's chamber next!" Shadow snapped, balling his hands into frustrated fists. "What the hell is going on _now_?"

In response, Green's mouth opened- but no words came out. Finally, stuttering and shaking his head, he found his voice as he asked incredulously, "What are you _talking_ about, Shadow? Haven't you figured out the pattern by now? We're obviously going to face the same monster from the Water Temple! Y'know, the one you sent like all the others to-"

"I didn't _send_ any monster after you in the Water Temple, moron!" Shadow interrupted once again, snapping sharply at their leader and cutting him off before he could finish. "Why do you think I didn't come back to you guys there? I didn't…"

His eyes grew wide as he begun to understand, and as the realization dawned on Green, too, so his eyes widened and his face fell in horror and dismay.

"That means… you don't know…"

Green's words trailed off- yet the silence in the arena was far from broken. For as his voice faded away into silence, another sound began to break through, and the two Links froze in place, their eyes wide, as the new sound began to creep forward from all edges of the room around them. Their sights were drawn to where the noise was coming from-and as a chill wind blew from an unknown source in the circled arena, so the crackling, snapping sound of ice freezing in heavy sheets over the surface of the water bounced across the slowly-freezing walls around them.

"D-Damnit! Hurry, get to the center platform!" Green shouted, instantly recognizing what the slowly-freezing water around them meant. His heart was racing and he tried to keep himself from panicking as he and Shadow ran towards the center. Shadow never sent this monster- why hadn't he figured this out?-! If he wasn't the one to send it, then that meant it only could've been-

"Green! What the hell are we up against, here?-!" Shadow gasped, out of breath, as he staggered onto the platform, seconds behind Green. However, just as he stepped onto the center platform, he gasped as he stumbled forward, his eyes growing wide, and then wincing fiercely as he clutched his side tightly with his arm, swearing profanely under his breath. Quickly, Green had jumped forward to catch him before he fell- and even Green couldn't keep a curse withheld as he saw the red spot on Shadow's tunic growing again. How could Shadow even fight, in this condition…?

"Idiot! I'm _fine_!" Shadow snapped suddenly, quickly shoving Green aside as the leader tried to help him up. His hands balled into tight fists- and he snarled resentfully at Green, who frowned angrily in response. Shadow couldn't help but wonder in the back of his mind why he was being so cold and distant towards their leader- but before he could think on it any longer, Green's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You are _not_ fine," Green shouted back firmly, "you're _hardly_ in any condition to fight!" He sighed as he shook his head, though quickly looking around him once more as he reminded themselves of their current situation.

Last time, the beast had come from the icy waters beneath them, soon after the lake had frozen over. Already, the freeze had spread throughout the entire room, and everything stone was covered in a thin layer of frost- including the platform beneath them- while the water around the center platform was now solidly frozen over. He glanced back towards Shadow, wincing in fury at himself- why had he even let Shadow come into the chamber, wounded as badly as he was?-!

"What did you say to me, you little _ass_?" Shadow roared, his fury building as Green spoke and then looked at their surroundings. Had he just called Shadow unable to fight?-! What, did he dismiss him as useless just because of a little blood? He rounded furiously on Green, his eyes burning. "The hell gives _you_ the right to say I can't fight?-!"

"Look, Shadow, we don't have _time_ for this, I only meant that-" Green tried to say as he turned back to face Shadow, sighing in resignation as he felt their conversation going downhill-

And all of a sudden, the growing tension between the two Links was broken- as an incredible explosion from all around them threw the arena into a different sort of tension, one terrifying and deadly as a harsh scream, and the fierce sound of crashing and splitting ice, blasted across the entire arena as water shot up from all directions around them and chunks of ice were blown like rockets up into the air. The two heroes, jerked quickly out of their own fight, quickly whirled around, their eyes wide as they faced the explosive arena around them, steam propelling massive chunks of ice skyward to smash against the ceiling above and water beginning to churn violently beneath the broken-off ice.

And yet, though Green had tried, he had not a second longer to shout out any sort of warning before the behemoth appeared.

Blasting out from the ice remaining beneath, the massive beast made its entrance as it leapt out of the water, ice trailing its move and encasing its entire, skeletal body. The monstrosity was a hellish, terrifying sight to behold- its wide, empty eye sockets and wide-open, toothy jaw looked down frighteningly upon the two children, and its spine arced hideously in its leap, the numerous back-spikes pointing viciously high into the air. And lastly, as the Arctic Skeletal Ichthyoid, Gyorxok, finished its leap over the platform, its massive, skeletal tail trailing after it, the beast encased in ice slammed back down through the ice on the opposite side, the water once more splashing voraciously over the side and chunks of ice blown in all directions.

"What…" Shadow gasped, his eyes wide as he moved back to stand- as he and Green had ducked when the thing came flying over them- and looked over at Green, shaking in shock and fury. "What the _fu_-"

"We fought this thing in the Water Temple," Green interrupted hastily and breathlessly as he, too, stood back up, quickly running over to the side and looking down with wide-eyes over the edge. The water was deep and ran a long distance to the wall- large enough for the monster to swim through. And as it raged past Green's sight, through the water, a sickening, dismaying feeling sank through the leader as Gyorxok swam past, leaving a trail of ice underwater in its wake. Green had focused his attention on its head- and what he saw there- or rather, _didn't_ see- terrified him.

Quickly, he whirled around back to Shadow.

"Well then, how the hell did you _beat_ it?-!" Shadow shouted, looking around him nervously as Gyorxok continued to swim menacingly around them, the ice growing back over the water in several places merely by the monster's presence. The Link braced himself- this was dangerous, it could leap out at them any moment and they wouldn't be ready-

"That's the problem," Green said grimly, gritting his teeth. "Last time, Blue's sword was stuck in its head… we pulled it out and it fell to pieces. But it doesn't have that anymore!" He hesitated as he looked around worriedly, but closed his eyes tightly and painfully as he knew he had to face the hard truth. "I… I have no idea what we're supposed to do now!"

Shadow stared at Green for a moment, his jaw and eyes wide open. "That… you can't _say_ that, damnit!" he shouted, his hands balling into fists as his fury at their leader grew even more. "You _have_ to know what to do! You're our _leader_, remember?-!"

"Just… stay in the center of the platform and don't let it drag you in the water," Green shouted, shaking his head as he tried to shove the painful truth aside, running back to Shadow and looking around frantically for any sign of Gyorxok. "…We'll figure something out!" His memories of the previous fight raced through his mind- Blue had almost drowned by being dragged under, if not for Red, and he and Vio had to help them from above the ice to get them safely back up. Red froze it with his Ice Rod to keep it still while they got the sword out together- how the hell could they do anything now, just the two of them?-!

"Is that it?-!" Shadow shouted back, his fury mounting by the second. "Don't you have any other plan?-!" He snarled, not waiting for Green to answer. He was sick of him. The "leader" of the Links, and so far he had let the other three become separated- possibly even die- and was still going on, as if it didn't matter. And in each fight, he was falling apart, unable to show he could beat the monsters with one less of them. He didn't even have a viable plan for this! He was arrogant, his authority was baseless… he'd had _enough_.

"Fine! You stay here, you _coward_, _I'll_ take care of this!" the Link of darkness roared angrily at Green as he charged forward, pushing harshly past his 'leader' and running to the edge of the arena. He hardly heard Green's shouts of resistance- he ignored them entirely, even so- and instead, as he reached the edge, he stopped, raising his hands as a dark magic began to grow around them.

Gyorxok raced past his sight, its empty eye sockets staring menacingly ahead as ice continued to ripple behind it in the water, freezing over where it had swum as its many skeletal parts waved back and forth in its furious swimming motion across the water-filled arena. Shadow wasted not a second- as soon as it had passed, shouting in rage and fury, so he let loose one ball of dark shadow magic after another, throwing them menacingly from his hands and blasting them mercilessly at the fish as it swam by.

The blasts shattered through the protective ice, and Shadow grinned in fierce victory as he saw a few of them land blows on the skeleton of the beast itself. The dark magic seared against the beast's bones, and in quick reaction, so Gyorxok tossed its head in fury, screaming in rage at the hits. However, caught in his victory, Shadow did not notice the slight turn of the beast's head-

And, turning on a dime in an almost unnatural maneuver, Gyorxok suddenly screamed in fury and hate as it whirled around in its pool, turning to face its shark-like skull towards Shadow and propelling itself swiftly through the frozen waters in which it swam. Shadow's eyes went wide- but he had not a second longer to react as the beast suddenly burst through the ice and the water, leaping upwards and out- yet this time, its trajectory was much lower than simply flying over the platform. Its wide, open jaws, dripping in water and frost, lunged openly towards Shadow's form-

Gasping, Shadow could hardly brace himself for the impact as it hit him- yet as he slammed against the ground sideways, his eyes widened in shock- for it was not the giant fish which had hit him, as it continued to sail, its target missed, over the platform, landing harshly in the ice on the other side.

"_Damnit_, Shadow!" Green shouted, shaking his head as he struggled to get back to his feet after shoving Shadow out of the way. The child of darkness looked up, wide-eyed in surprise- Green winced in enormous pain as he looked away, taking a slow and shaky breath before looking painfully back at Shadow.

"I can't _lose_ _you_!"

Wiping away a burning sensation in his eyes, Green quickly knelt down, wrapping an arm around Shadow's shoulder and hoisting him to his feet. Shadow, still stunned into silence, especially at what Green had said, didn't resist as he was helped to a stand, wincing in pain as he felt the pain from his wound come back to wash over him. Still, incredulous, he looked back over at Green.

"I _can't_ do this without you, Shadow!" Green shouted firmly as he looked at Shadow, his hand still clapped tightly across his friend's shoulder and his face set in fierce determination. "I'll give everything I can to win this, but damn it all, it won't be enough unless we work together!" He swallowed past a tight lump in his throat, trying to keep his voice from breaking as he continued, "We've already lost Red and Blue and Vio… we can't lose each other!"

There was a small silence between the two- yet it was quickly broken by the screams of Gyorxok as it once more leapt out of the water and ice, crashing back down into the ice below as it continued to churn the waves more and more- as if building up for something- and returning back to the depths of the water surrounding the center platform. Green and Shadow quickly looked over towards it, bracing themselves- but, as the monster returned back to the depths of the water, they each breathed a silent sigh of relief and looked back at one another.

Shadow grit his teeth, biting his tongue as he tried to hold back his words. He hated Green- he always had. He got to be the 'leader' of them, he was always right and everyone always listened to him… and he never even knew why. But hearing Green implore to him… saying that he couldn't lose Shadow… was this why he was the leader? Once more he clenched his jaw tight- but spoke calmly and quietly, his eyes focused determinedly on his leader. "… Alright… but what do you suggest we do?"

Green fixed his jaw in a grim smile. "I don't know," he admitted, "but you didn't create it, which means Veran and Onox must have. It's not a copy like the others- we're going to have to work together to bring it down." He looked determinedly out towards the water- and slowly, a smile formed on his face. Shadow rose his eyebrows in light surprise- and, grinning, Green looked cleverly back at Shadow.

"… You've been the distraction enough times, Shadow. Let me give it a shot. I'll lure him back over the platform, you strike when you have the chance. Sound good?"

Shadow quietly processed what Green was telling him- but also thought about more than just simply his plan. This was why Green was the leader- he kept his head calm and cool in the heat of battle, he worked to keep everyone safe and together, and even when he didn't know what to do, he at least knew one important thing- to stay together and not to give up. And the pain in Green's eyes when he knocked Shadow to the ground, away from Gyorxok's reach, afraid he'd almost lost his friend…

Quickly, Shadow gave a firm, curt nod. "Excellent," he said, a fanged sneer growing on his mischievous face. "You said last time the sword was in its head? That's probably its weak spot. I'll aim there. Just don't get yourself killed, huh?"

"I should be telling you the same!" Green responded with a quick laugh, though quickly turned around, running to the edge of the platform as he began to look for Gyorxok. His eyes widened when he saw it swimming past, once more freezing the water around it- and, with a grin, Green reached out behind him, pulling out an old, familiar weapon he hadn't used for a while.

"Hey, fish-bones! Catch!" the Link shouted with a laugh as he stepped forward, forcefully throwing his boomerang out as sharply as he could, aimed for the beast swimming through the water. His weapon sliced cleanly through the ice as it raced after the swimming monster- and though it struck the side of the skeleton's shark-like skull with a resounding clash, even its might was not enough to leave a dent in the bone of the monster. However, as the boomerang returned to its owner, landing in Green's open fist, his hands tightening over his weapon as he caught it, Green grinned- knowing he had done just what he needed to do.

Gyorxok, screaming once more in rage at the attack, quickly and effortlessly once more changed directions during its swim, its massive tail beating the water-ice mixture behind it as it prepared to strike. Green took a step back- and, lashing out at the water behind and beneath it, so the giant aquatic ice monster quickly and voraciously leapt out of the pool surrounding the platform, its wide-open jaws gaping open for its target upon the platform.

Green knew he had little time- he'd done his job, to distract the fish and send it leaping over the platform towards him, so Shadow would have a clear shot at it- he had to get out of the way as best he could before the monster had a chance to devour him- or shove him into the water, where he knew he would be a goner. As soon as the boomerang had returned to his grasp, the leader of the Links rolled away as best he could, leaping to the side-

-And it was just enough.

For right as Green landed some feet away from the trajectory of the leaping Gyorxok, out of the corner of his eye he saw a blurred, flash of black- Shadow had moved quickly, swift and sure, as he ran forward, his hands lashing out as another powerful blast of dark magic hurtled from the ends of his fingertips towards the great monster. His aim was perfect- the gigantic blast of energy slammed against the side of the beast's wide-open jaws, and, screaming in rage and agony as the blast burned through the ice, leaving a clean hole in its skull where there was not supposed to be one, the gigantic monster thrashed about in the air as it landed haphazardly back in the ice and water.

Almost instantly, Green felt someone helping him up- and looked to the side to see Shadow right beside him, helping Green back to his feet after the monster had fallen back into the water surrounding the center platform. The Links wasted no time in getting their balance and footing back, and the two quickly rushed back to the center of their platform, looking for any sign of Gyorxok.

"D'you think that did it?" Green gasped as he looked frantically around through the ice and the water- panic rising as the seconds passed and he couldn't find it.

"I don't know-" Shadow snarled, gritting his teeth in frustration as he, too, couldn't find where the beast was-

-And at that moment, everything seemed to be running in slow motion.

For out of the corner of his eyes, Shadow saw a blur of white and blue, ice lunging out of the water behind him as the great behemoth fish leapt out of the water once more, its jaws wide open, empty eye sockets focused burningly on its target, and water and ice splashing up all around it. Time had slowed to a standstill for Shadow- for in that very instant that he could see Gyorxok leaping out towards the unsuspecting pair, so he could also see just where it was aiming.

Green's back was turned- he was looking for the monster on the other side of the arena- and the monster's jaws were nearing him, its spikey, bone teeth lunging ever close towards devouring the Link. The sound of water splashing behind him made Green look over his shoulder, wide-eyed- but by that time, the fish was almost upon him, ready to devour him- his time was gone.

And as time snapped back, the gigantic skeletal monster closed its jaws around its target- and a harsh, terrifying scream filled the arena as its teeth sunk deep into flesh, and, in its victory, so Gyorxok carried its victim through its leap, clenching its jaws tightly shut as it slammed back into the frozen waters below.

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><p><strong>Look for 49 before the end of the week! :D<strong>


	49. Agony

**Wh00t, I got this chapter done early! :D**

**You all are in for one big surprise... ;3**

**Enjoy! ^_^**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Nine<strong>: Agony

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><p>Green gasped sharply, his eyes flying wide open as he felt a sharp pain in his side shoving him harshly to the ground. The breath was stolen from his chest- he couldn't even cry out in surprise or pain as he struck the hard surface of the rock platform beneath, skidding on the stone several feet away from where he had stood. The tense calmness from a second before had all been shattered from an explosion from behind- and as Green landed roughly on the ground, his wide eyes looked over top of him- and his heart froze at what he saw.<p>

"NO! _SHADOW_!-!-!"

He could barely even choke out a cry, horror sinking over him at what he saw.

Where he had stood, unaware of the attack from behind, so the giant monstrous fish Gyorxok had leapt out of the waters beneath, aimed directly for Green's back. Moving faster than anything he had ever seen before, in a blur of motion, Shadow had leapt into action- shoving Green aside, the Link of darkness had quickly and without hesitation taken his leader's place- and had paid the price for doing so.

Shadow's eyes flew open and his entire body tensed as he screamed in pain, Gyorxok's jaws clenching tightly over him, as he was slammed into and caught between the monster's teeth, carried over the platform and splashing back into the frozen waters beneath.

Green felt his legs weaken beneath him- but he ignored this, and quickly scrambled to his feet, eyes wide and heart pounding, as he ran to the side of the platform and looked down, the splash of Gyorxok's exit still washing over the side of the platform. He could barely see the tip of the monster's skeletal tail swimming away- and then it was gone.

...It had Shadow.

There was no time to think. No time to plan, no time to gather information- no time for anything left. Green knew this- and so not a split second went by before he had leapt forward, his arms high over his head as he dove, unafraid and unhesitant, into the freezing waters of the arena.

The cold hit him like nothing he'd ever experienced- it soaked through his entire clothes and seemed through his skin into his very bones, as if it were ready to freeze him in place in mere seconds. Green's eyes flew open as soon as he landed in the water, and quickly he looked from side to side, holding his breath tightly underneath the half-frozen waters, chunks of ice floating past him and all around him, in hopes of seeing Gyorxok. It had swam in the opposite direction around the platform, fleeing- Green grit his teeth in determination, and, remembering which direction it had fled, began to swim after it, as fast as he could.

And yet, before he'd swam even a foot away-

Crying aloud, his voice muted and muffled by the water and bubbles flying out from his open mouth, Green's eyes suddenly went wide as he felt something pull him backwards, latching onto his legs and dragging him downwards. Quickly he looked behind him- and his heart sank in despair and horror. The miniature, skeletal fish from before were back- by the dozens, they had latched onto Green with their skeleton teeth, and were swimming violently backwards and downwards, dragging the hero down to the depths in an attempt to drown him.

A cold realization shot through Green- Blue had almost drowned this way, last time. If not for Red's Ice Rod, even the strongest of the Links would not have been able to fight them off alone.

... Gyorxok had Shadow.

He would not allow himself to do anything else but get him back.

Green's eyes narrowed in fierce, cold determination.

From behind his back, Green reached out, unleashing his glistening, silver Four Sword from its sheath. Once more, the heroic Link cried out aloud as he spun his sword around him, as quickly as he could in the dragging waters, slicing through the numerous hoard of enemies. Bubbles shot up from all around him and chunks of ice were sliced to shreds as Green fought for his life- and for his friend's life- beneath the frozen waters of the arena. The small, skeletal fish were cut through the sword like glass, shattering upon impact and disappearing almost entirely into the rage of the underwater fight. Green was relentless and threw out all of his thinking, leaving himself solely to his instincts as a fighter and warrior.

The last one was soon slaughtered, and, his lungs tightening as they cried out for air, Green knew he could do no more, and nothing else but resurface for air. Quickly, his legs freed of the weight, the leader swam up to the water, breaking the surface powerfully and gasping sharply for air. Green coughed a few times, shaking his head as he tried to clear his thoughts and calm down his heart from its racing, rapid pace. And yet, he hardly had a second to regain his breath before it once more caught in his throat, and his eyes widened at what he saw approaching him.

The great devilish shark, Gyorxok, was swimming fast around the arena, and was fast approaching Green. Its skull was nearly blasted to pieces from Shadow's attack- but still it swam, charging relentlessly ahead like some undead monstrosity, and in its jaws so it held its prize- the sight that made Green's heart momentarily stop in realization and horror.

The speed at which the fish swam was incredible- and as the waters pushed by it as it swam, so Shadow was buffeted by the ice and the waters as he clung on to the skeleton's teeth for dear life. His breath came in short, choppy gasps- but it was not merely because he constantly went in and out of the water. For behind the pair as they swam through the water, a trail of red was being left behind.

Screaming out again in intense pain, Shadow raised his right arm, balling it into a fist as he slammed against the side of the skeleton's skull. His other shoulder remained stationary- blood raced out of the terrifying wound in its center, where one of the massive, bone fangs from the creature impaled through his shoulder, sticking out from the other side and firmly latching onto its prisoner.

His time was up. Gyorxok was swimming fast towards Green, its jaws opening as it prepared to add a second prisoner to its deadly jaws. Shadow, buffeted by the water, could only just barely turn his head, his eyes weak to open- but all the same, they opened, and he saw Green ahead, still half-above the waters.

His grip on the golden hilt of his sword tightened. His pulse calmed, and his muscles prepared themselves. The eyes of the soldier narrowed in terrifying rage and determination. And when the great devil finally reached its target- so the destruction began.

Green could hardly hear himself shouting as he lunged forward in the water, his blade swinging in deadly accuracy, even through the drag of the water and slicing through the bone of his enemy. His entire body became impacted by the brunt of the monster's skull, dragging him along with it as it continued to swim in the waters- but still Green held on, careful not to let himself get caught in the jaws of the beast, instead focused on one mission and one mission only- freeing Shadow.

His blade cut through the water, moving so fast it hardly fell prey to the resistance of the water, slicing through the bones as if it were butter. Several of its teeth, dismembered by the swings of his sword, floated uselessly up into the air. And finally, gritting his teeth as he held on to the violently swimming enemy, Green's sword met its mark- and, in a flash of silver, so his blade cut cleanly through the fang trapping Shadow to the beast. Several screams flooded the area- Green could not tell if they were his own, Shadow's, or the beast's itself- and, ignoring everything but what he knew he needed to do, Green quickly wrapped an arm around Shadow's shoulder, kicking off from the beast's skull beneath him and bursting out from the water's surface, gasping for air and quickly scrambling to the surface of the platform.

It was over almost as soon as it had begun- and, wasting not any more seconds, Green quickly hoisted Shadow's form onto the platform, leaping over the side and pulling his friend the rest of the way to the center of the platform and falling to his knees beside him. His breath was heavy, ragged, and choppy as he tried to regain his strength from the attack from before- but his eyes were wide, terrified at what he saw.

Shadow was coughing- this was a good sign, at least he's still alive- as he tried to gasp and regain his breath, still lying on his back, soaking wet and shivering, in the center of the platform. However, through all the pains, there was one which even he could not bear, and cried out once more in pain as his right hand shot up to his opposite shoulder, clutching the cloth of his tunic tightly in his fingers where the bone tooth still stuck out from the wound in his shoulder, the wet, red liquid still seeping slowly out of the opening.

"G-Green..."

Shadow was gasping and shivering, struggling to speak yet unable to get anything else out as he was once more seized by a fit of coughing.

He had no more time to say anything- and though Green's eyes were still frantically going over Shadow, desperately hoping he was okay, even this had to be interrupted as another scream rocked through the arena- this time, of hellish rage, unbearable pain, and monstrous hatred. Quickly, the leader of the Links stood up, whirling around with wide eyes as he faced the source of the scream.

Gyorxok, flailing about in the water and screaming due to its many lost limbs, continued to thrash about- and yet, its wide-open, empty eye sockets now focused themselves on its last target- Green. Already, the bone-tail behind it lashed to the side, causing its body to change directions as it charged one final time towards the platform.

An eerie calm drifted over Green as he stood slowly up, grasping his sword firmly in his hand. He stood protectively over his fallen friend, and looked at his approaching enemy with narrowed, unafraid eyes. Even if he had to lay down his own life for his friends... he would never, ever back down. He would stand and _fight_.

And so when the massive skeletal monster finally leapt through the waters one final time, its jaw wide open, screaming hellishly as it aimed for the target of the lone child standing over the fallen one- so he was ready.

Charging forward, his blade grasped tightly in both hands and held over his shoulder at the ready, Green shouted aloud as he ran forward to meet his opponent. The massive beast arched over as it leapt over the waters, its jaws wide open to meet his opponent- and yet, at the last second, his eyes narrowing in fury, Green made his move.

Bending a knee beneath him, Green quickly and sharply ducked the beast's skull and teeth as it flew over him- and yet, a split second later, so he once more regained his footing- and, screaming aloud in rage and fury, so the Link stood sharply up, slicing upwards and all around him, both hands held tight on his sword, in a powerful and relentless Spin Attack.

The Four Sword sliced clean through its target- the edge of his blade carved clean through the spine of the fish, eating through numerous ribs and other bones of the skeleton. At the end of his attack, Green's sword finally came to rest in front of him- and the great beast Gyorxok, sliced in half by the might of the Four Sword, fell into pieces at the end of its leap, breaking apart in the air and screaming in dying rage as its bones flew in all directions, crystallizing in the seconds they were airborne, and shattering the moment they fell upon the surface of the water and the stone platform upon which they stood. As the pieces shattered like glass, the room was then filled with the dying echoes of the beast's screams, and the reverberating sounds of the pieces breaking into thousands and disappearing into oblivion.

Until finally, the room was silent once more.

His chest was slowly heaving in exhaustion, his eyes wide and his entire body shaking. He... he'd done it. He'd beaten Gyorxok.

And yet-

Green's eyes snapped open wide.

"SHADOW!"

Crying out the name of his friend, Green instantly whirled around, running to the center of the platform and sliding down on his knees as he reached Shadow's body. Instantly, he leaned over his friend, his eyes flying up to the wound in Shadow's shoulder- the massive, bone tooth was still stuck clean through it, the horrifyingly familiar red liquid continuing to stain the stone beneath him.

Weakly, the red eyes of his friend fluttered open, and Shadow looked up at Green, his teeth clenched against the pain- yet, despite itself, his entire body shivering from the cold of the water drenched over his entire body.

"Green... please..." Shadow gasped in pain, shutting his eyes tight. "Please... take it out..."

The leader of the Links swallowed a lump in his throat upon hearing his friend speak. Once more, he looked at the bone- and, carefully, slowly, wrapped his hands around it. He held his breath- and, in one motion, jerked backwards, the massive tooth of the creature coming easily out with the force. In an instantaneous reaction, Shadow gasped, swearing and crying out aloud as he suddenly sat up, his free arm clasping over his shoulder in pain.

Quickly, Green threw aside the tooth- not wanting to hold it any longer- and held his arm out behind Shadow's back, keeping him propped up as best he could.

"Hey, Shadow, it's alright, it's gone, we won," Green gasped, trying to force a smile as he tried his best to keep Shadow still coherent. "You'll be okay, alright? We'll figure something out, we'll..."

His voice faded into silence as his eyes slowly began to widen.

Shadow's grip on the wound in his shoulder was weakening... and, as his eyes closed once more, the Link let out a calm, slow sigh, his arm eventually falling to the side.

Green froze in horror. The seconds ticked by- yet he refused to accept this. Quickly, he raised his arm not holding Shadow up, placing his fingers across Shadow's neck.

One... two...

His heart nearly skipped a beat, and he felt himself practically melting as relief flushed over him. Shadow was still alive- he had a pulse. It was weak- no doubt Shadow had fallen unconscious due to the sheer amount of pain and loss of blood- but he was still there.

Green set his jaw firmly as he looked at his friend. What in the world was he supposed to do...?

However, jerking Green from his thoughts came a slow and quiet rumbling sound beneath him. The Link looked over his shoulder quickly- and so saw the wall on the opposite side of the arena beginning to move. A small piece of it was sliding inwards, and then downwards... a passage was opening up, and a bridge to the opening, across the water and to the center of the platform, slid out from the wall, connecting to the platform with a dull thud. And once more, there was silence.

Green looked back to Shadow- his eyes were still closed. The leader of the Links took a slow, deep breath- and, gritting his teeth, knew just what he needed to do. There was no other choice. Without hesitation, his other arm reached under his friend's legs- and, staggering to his feet, Green gasped as he managed to lift Shadow upwards, carrying the unconscious body of his friend as he stood up. He staggered once, unused to the extra weight- but quickly regained his footing, shaking his head as he refused to let himself fall.

"Hang on, Shadow..." Green gasped through grit teeth as he struggled to hold Shadow upwards, the Link turning towards the newly opened passage. Slowly, his boots began to clap across the wet stone ground beneath him as he walked across the platform, onto the bridge, and towards the new passage.

"Just... hang on..."

* * *

><p>His strength was failing him. Slowly but surely, he felt as if he were being drained, as if someone was sucking all of the strength out of him and leaving him as an empty shell. He didn't think he could go on.<p>

And still, he kept walking.

The tunnel had seemed to last longer than any of the others- as if testing Green's resolve to keep going, despite carrying Shadow's limp, heavy form in his arms- and with every step, the Link felt himself growing weaker and weaker. They had been through so much... They had all been ready to fight as a team upon entering Hyrule Castle, but slowly and surely, after fighting four of the toughest monsters they'd ever had to face, they were down to just two- one who was unconscious and wounded terribly, and the other who could barely keep walking.

There were times as he walked that Green felt he could no longer go on- but as he stopped to catch his breath, closed his eyes to rest, and remembered all that had happened- all that he was, all about his friends- so he once more opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and continued.

There would be an end in sight... there had to be.

And after what seemed like hours, a light finally outlined an exit at the far end of the tunnel. His heart lifting, Green mustered the last of his strength to continue onwards, carrying Shadow as he went- and yet, as he finally exited the tunnel and into the next room, he felt almost all of his strength leaving him at the despairing sight which he met.

He had exited the tunnel to now stand in a large, open room- and yet, it was not the room itself which sank Green's heart. The entire room was nothing more than built around a single structure- yet that structure reached so high towards the heavens, Green could not even see the ceiling. For in the center of the room, as if built for its very purpose, a massive staircase spiraled around itself, climbing high and high above the room. Torches lit the sides of the wall along the staircase as it went upwards- but from the sheer height of it, how many stories he could not even begin to count, he could not even see what was on top.

His strength was gone- his knees, weak and shaky, finally crumbled beneath him, and Green slowly fell to his knees, leaning against the wall behind him and closing his eyes in defeat. His arms fell down lightly against his side as he let Shadow's limp and unresponsive form lean against the wall beside him. There was no way he would be able to make it up those stairs- even as weak as he was right now, it would take him forever to climb them. And carrying Shadow? He would hardly be able to make it past the first two steps.

...Was this it, then? Was this as far as he could go...?

"... Green..."

A shaky, quiet voice suddenly snapped Green's eyes open, and he looked to where the voice had come from.

His red eyes weakly opening, a painful wince across his face, Shadow looked up at Green from where the leader had set him on the ground. He was propped up against the wall next to Green, and his hand still clutched the wound in his shoulder tightly. He glanced towards it- and blinked in surprise upon seeing a green hat wrapped tightly around his shoulder, keeping the wound from opening or bleeding. It was wrapped rather haphazardly- held together only with several knots here and there- but still held tight.

Doing his best to sneer, Shadow looked back up at Green. "…That's a pretty crappy job," he said with a weak laugh, his voice even weaker. "Vio would be ashamed."

Green breathed a sigh of relief, though still looked over at Shadow with surprised, wide eyes. "Shadow! You're awake! …Are you feeling any better?"

The Link once more sneered. "The hell does it look like, genius?" he grunted, trying to sit up on his own- yet slipping back against the wall behind him, cursing under his breath at being unable to support his own weight.

Sighing, Green put a hand to his forehead, shaking his head lightly as his eyes closed. "Shadow, I... I don't know what we can do now..." He looked sadly over at the stairs, feeling as if he were surrendering. "I can't... I can't carry you up the stairs... We've come this far, only to..."

Shadow blinked in surprise as he listened to Green, his eyes trailing over to the stairs. He blinked- and then gave a short, curt laugh.

"Jeez, those are some high stairs," the Link laughed coldly. "_Someone_ must be compensating for something." He grinned as he looked over at Green, scoffing and shaking his head. "Y'know, sometimes I don't know if you're smart, or just plain stupid. Then _don't_ carry me, idiot. Just go. I'll wait here. I don't think I can be much of any help anymore, anyways." He grinned wryly as he once more put a hand over his shoulder- this time, untying the green hat around it and handing it back to his leader.

Green looked back in surprise over at Shadow. Numbly, he took back his hat- the wound had by now long stopped bleeding, so he knew it wasn't needed anymore anyways- but still stared at Shadow, shaking his head. "Shadow... I can't just leave you! I didn't carry you all the way here just to drop you at these stairs and go on alone." He frowned as he put back on his hat, looking at the stairs and sighing. "We'll just figure something else out. Maybe if-"

A slow, quiet sound shook Green from his words- and, blinking in surprise, he turned to face them- freezing in place in mild shock at what he saw.

Shadow gave a wry grin as he held up his fist, a small amount of shadow magic swirling around his hands and making a low, reverberating sound.

"I said _go_," he snarled, his fangs revealed as he held up the magic threateningly towards Green. "And I didn't join your group just to become an anchor." His snarl turned into a grin as he shrugged and said, "Besides, I need some time to rest. I'll meet up with you guys later."

Green paused, surprised and slightly confused- though still understanding Shadow in a way. He was going to make sure Green left him behind, so that he could continue onwards- like the others had done- but what he'd said at the end? You 'guys'...? So he really believed that...?

Shadow grinned. "Don't think I'm being all altruistic here," he said with a sharp laugh. "You all had _better_ come back for me, and I mean it. You start the big fight without me, and you'll get more than just a blast to the face. I've got a few blasts saved especially for Veran and Onox, and I want to deliver them personally."

Green was quiet as he listened to Shadow speak. His eyes drifted over to Shadow's hand, where the ball of shadow magic still threatened him- he was unafraid of this, but still looked back to Shadow, giving a small smile.

"...I'll find them," Green stated firmly, taking a slow breath as he nodded. "I'll find the others, and we'll come back for you, Shadow. Whatever happens, we won't leave you. ... I promise." He smiled as he held out his hand.

In surprise, Shadow looked to Green's offered hand. A moment passed... the magic gone from around his fist, Shadow smiled dryly as he extended his own hand, taking Green's firmly in his own.

"Green... I'm sorry for what I said earlier," Shadow said, his jaw clenched tight as he looked up at the Link. "...You make a great leader."

The Link smiled, swallowing past a knot in his throat as he nodded. "Thanks, Shadow," Green replied, "We never would've gotten this far without you."

The two Links looked at one another one last time, each giving a firm nod to their friend in respect and understanding. However, Green knew what he had to do- and as the two released each other's hands, so Green finally stood up, turning to face the stairs as Shadow relaxed against the wall, watching their leader quietly. Green took a calm, deep breath- and, looking over his shoulder one last time at Shadow, giving him a grin, Green nodded and walked towards the stairs.

And in the silence of the room, as Shadow closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, all that could be heard echoing across the tall, empty room were the soft footsteps of Green as he began to climb the staircase up into the darkness.

* * *

><p>The stairs went on for what seemed like ages- there were many times when Green would stop and lean against the wall to catch his breath, or to look over the sides in hopes of seeing Shadow still at the bottom. However, as he moved higher and higher up the room, before long, he couldn't even see the floor any longer. He would motivate himself and run a few of the steps, walk to regain his breath, and then continue running. His mind was racing with all sorts of what-ifs, worries and what might be at the top of the stairs- but each time these thoughts came, he quickly dashed them away, instead forcing himself to keep running. He couldn't think about these things now- he just had to keep going and hope for the best.<p>

Eventually, when Green seemed almost out of breath and no longer to keep going, the ceiling finally came into sight above him. His eyes rose and a smile even tugged at the ends of his lips- the end was in sight, and he would finish strong. With a burst of motivation and energy, the Link ran up the rest of the stairs, knowing the trek was almost complete. He wondered, as he ran, how we would ever manage to go back and bring Shadow up the stairs later- but again, he knew this would have to be a bridge crossed later. And so, chest heaving and his legs almost shaking from exhaustion, Green finally ran the last few steps up the staircase, slowing down when he finally stepped onto solid, level ground at the last step.

The last footstep echoed out across the top of the room, dying down slowly as it faded away, left to the emptiness of the room. It was nothing impressive- it looked just as the bottom of the room had, empty with little to fill it in except for the staircase Green had just come from. However, also like the bottom of the tower room, there was one other thing besides the stairs- yet this was much, much different from the simple, single tunnel through which Green and Shadow had entered.

Set among the stone of the far end of the wall, were two massive, heavy-set and intricately carved double-doors. Green had never seen such doors before- if there was one word to describe them, it would be grandiose. Dark green emeralds and other stones adorned the border of the doors, and many symbols Green wasn't familiar with were embellished in the wooden linings of the doors. It was magnificent and towering- but its presence was also harrowing and almost threatening. Green's breath caught in his throat as he looked at it, and every muscle in his body tightened.

... This was it.

He wasn't even sure how he knew, but there was no other option... This door _had_ to be the one which led to Veran and Onox. The two who had thrown their lives, and their land, in such disarray and destruction... they were surely behind those doors, waiting for the heroes to burst through them and face them in their final fight.

And yet...

Green blinked, looking around him.

There were no other doors. No passageways, openings, tunnels, windows... Nothing. No other way for Green to leave-

And no other way for the others to arrive.

Green bit his lip. He couldn't go forward. He couldn't go through those doors yet, the others were still...

He sighed, closing his eyes. No- he wouldn't go yet. He couldn't. He would have to go back. He'd go back down the stairs, get Shadow... and... they'd figure something else out. Maybe if they kept going backwards, they'd find another tunnel or passage they missed the first time. Either way, there was no way he'd continue onwards- not yet. Green opened his eyes, staring back down at the double doors in front of him. This would have to wait. He'd-

"... Well? Wait are you waiting for?"

The Link froze in his tracks, his heart stopping and his eyes flying wide open. That voice... He whirled around, shock and surprise flooding through him at what he saw.

"Shadow!-? What are you doing here?" Green shouted out, his jaw dropping and taking a step backwards in surprise. Standing in front of him, with a calm and cocky smile on his face, Shadow looked back, amused, with his arms crossed in a smug and assured fashion.

"How... how did you get up the stairs?" Green asked, shaking his head incredulously. He looked back at the stairs, then Shadow- and blinked as he realized something else.

"Your... your shoulder... it's all healed!"

"...What? Oh, that?" Shadow asked with a short, curt laugh, looking dismissively at his right shoulder. He gave an idle shrug, grinning back at Green. "Turns out, my teleporting powers work again now. I just teleported up here, and since my other powers started working, I just healed myself." He sneered, confident and assured. "Not bad, huh?"

Green frowned, pausing to take this information in. Shadow had seemed so weak at the bottom of the staircase... Surely he should've noticed his powers were back as soon as they entered the room, right? And yet... there he was, standing right in front of him. Green sighed, shaking his head. Well... better late than never, right?

He set his jaw firmly as he looked back up at Shadow. "Well... that's great and all, but..." He looked briefly over his shoulder to the doors. "I think this is finally the door to go to Veran and Onox. But-"

"Well, yeah, of course it is," Shadow interrupted bluntly, scoffing and shaking his head. "So I'll ask again- what are you waiting for? Let's go!" He grinned, pumping his fists enthusiastically. "I can't _wait_ to kick some ass! Let's go, go, _go_!"

Green looked back at Shadow with a start. "Wait- what?" he asked, blinking as he tried to understand what Shadow was saying. He shook his head, taking a step towards his friend. "What are you saying? We can't go there without the others!" he protested, looking strangely at Shadow and tilting his head in confusion. "Come on, you know that. We'll have to go back and look for Vio and Red and Blue."

Shadow scoffed, shaking his head. "Please. We can take Veran and Onox on our own." He grinned, flashing his fanged, mischievous smile again. "The others are fine. They're late, anyways. They snooze, they lose." He laughed, taking a few strides forward and brushing past Green as he walked towards the door.

Green frowned. Something was wrong... He looked suspiciously after Shadow.

"What are you talking about, Shadow?" Green snapped, turning around to face him. "How can you even say that? You know as well as I do we won't be able to do anything without the others!" He grit his teeth. "I promised you I wouldn't leave you behind... And I won't leave the others behind, either!"

Shadow looked idly over his shoulder, frowning, looking almost bored. "What? You still even think they're alive?" He shook his head sadly, as if pitying Green, and turned around, smirking as he crossed his arms. "They're. Gone. Move on. Now let's go and finish this."

Green was silent for a moment, staring at Shadow in shock and disbelief.

Scoffing, the Link of darkness shook his head, as if disappointed with Green. "Come on, Link," he growled, disgusted, turning away to face the doors once more. "Let's just go, already. I'm getting tired of-"

Suddenly, a noise interrupted the Link's words. He blinked, pausing as the sound rang out across the room- the metallic sound of a sword leaving its sheath. Slowly, Shadow turned around- and blinked, stunned into silence.

Green's Four Sword was held out firmly in front of him, and his eyes were narrowed in cold and fierce anger.

"... You are _not_ Shadow," Green growled, holding his sword out towards Shadow as he took an offensive, fighter's stance. He kept his sight firmly on the Link in front of him- but no, he knew he wasn't Shadow. He grit his teeth and continued to aim his sword towards his target. "You're an impostor. ...A fake."

Shadow's eyes rose in surprise- and yet, just as quickly, he snarled in fury, lifting a hand and idly flicking his wrist, brushing the tip of Green's sword away. "Have you finally lost it?" Shadow snapped, walking around Green. However, where he walked, Green continued to face him, his sword still at the ready, unfazed by Shadow moving it aside.

"What the hell makes you think I'm a fake?" Shadow snarled, still walking around Green, his eyes narrowed and suspicious.

"For starters," Green said with a dry smirk as he continued to follow Shadow's movements with his eyes and sword, "When I asked about your shoulder earlier, you looked at your right shoulder- but it was your left that was injured. Also, don't forget- just now, you called me Link. ...My name... is Green." Shadow paused for a moment, blinking as he looked towards Green in surprise. The leader of the Links grinned.

"And the Shadow I know... the Shadow we _all_ know... would not want to leave the others behind." Green's smile turned upside down as he frowned, his eyes narrowed and angered, his muscles stiffening as he held his sword at the ready. "Most importantly of all... The real Shadow would never admit defeat. He knows just as well as I do... that the others are alive."

Shadow's eyes, red and burning, narrowed in anger as Green finished. And though he had been snarling, his fanged grimace growing as Green talked- when he finished, he suddenly calmed, a smooth, clever smirk forming across his face. Suddenly, he gave a cold, harsh laugh- and, raising a hand, suddenly formed a dark ball of shadow around his fingers. And yet, this one was different... unlike the purple-tinted magic of his friend, it was a pure blackness which surrounded him, twisted and poisoned- empty and hollow.

"Well, then, you got me," the impostor laughed, his smile turning vicious and cruel as it spread across his face. And as he spoke, Green's eyes widened in horror at the transformation before him- Shadow's body began to fade into the pure, hateful darkness which swirled around his hands, an empty and pure blackness holding the loose form of the Link. Still, his blood-red eyes glowed bright amidst the blackness, and as its fanged mouth opened, grinning maliciously, Green took a step back, looking on in terror at the blackened monstrosity which stood before him.

It looked just like himself... just like all the Links... cast in darkness, black and empty, with burning red eyes and a malicious, twisted smile. The darkness swirled all around him, and as it lifted its hands, so the power only grew, and it took a step as it advanced upon Green. The Link took a step back, holding up his sword as he looked at his enemy. This wasn't Shadow... it was more like... a dark, twisted copy of themselves... Nothing more than a monster of pure darkness.

Green was briefly reminded of the dark versions of themselves they had faced for Shadow's challenge, back in the graveyard- but no, this was different- it was even worse than those. Formed of hatred and malice, with no part of the hero at all- an imitation, a dark and twisted reflection of the light-driven souls of the Heroes.

And as it laughed, its voice deep and empty, Green swallowed past his fear, holding up his glowing, gold-and-silver sword.

"You don't scare me," Green snarled, narrowing his eyes as he looked at his opponent.

The blackened creature spoke- its voice twisted and hollow, almost making the Link cringe in horror and unease.

"I have no intentions of scaring you," the dark creature crooned, still grinning as it advanced upon Green. The blackness around it was building, spreading... growing... Wary, Green looked from side to side as he backed up- and soon, stopped as he felt himself run into the end of the staircase behind him. he quickly looked behind him- he was cornered into the side of the staircase. The only way out was down- and the fall would surely kill him- so that just left ahead. He looked back at the darkness- and his eyes widened in shock.

"I'll just _kill_ you," the creature growled as it advanced upon Green, the darkness rising all around him and clouding the entire room in its magic. "And take your lifeless corpse back to my _masters_!"

With a bestial, inhuman roar, Dark Link leapt forwards, its clawed arms outstretched and its red eyes burning like fire as the magic all around it swirled in furious wrath, aimed directly for the last Link standing.

Shouting aloud, pushing all fear away and feeling all the others with him in his stand, Green leapt forward to face his attacker head-on- and as the darkness finally rushed over and consumed him, dousing all of the light out of the room and blinding the hero from his enemy, so Green lashed out with his sword, plunging his silver, Four Sword deep into the center of his enemy, everything finally falling into darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>DUN-DUN-DUUUUUNNN! :D Cliffhangers of evil! Mwahahaha!<strong>

**What's going to happen to Green? What about the other Links? Are they truly still alive, will they be able to find each other, and will they finally be able to defeat Veran and Onox?-!**

**Everything comes full circle in the next dramatic chapter! :D**

**Also- if everything works out well- you guys won't even have to wait another week for it. ;)**

**P.S. Dark Link's appearance/cameo comes as tribute to my good friend Royazali. x)**


	50. Apex

**Here we go...! :D Get ready!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifty:<strong> Apex

* * *

><p>"... Well, now... I do believe he's starting to come around..."<p>

The voice was malicious and cruel, cackling and sinister as it snaked out of the darkness, taunting and malicious.

"Hmph. Perhaps it's time we gave him a proper... _introduction_, then?"

Another joined the first- this one, cold and dark- full of hatred and power as it filled the massive space around him with hatred and rage.

Groaning, Green finally felt his heavy eyelids began to open, the entire world swaying dizzily around him as his eyes tried to bring into focus the world around him. His head was pounding... the headache from earlier had returned, and was worse than ever. Slowly, he was climbing out of unconsciousness and into the waking world around him... once more groaning in pain, the Link pushed against the ground beneath him, lifting his heavy body upwards until he was able to weakly stagger to his feet.

_Where... where am I...?_ Green found his thoughts just as hazy as his eyesight, and he shook his head once or twice, blinking as he did so, in hopes of clearing both. He forced himself to quickly snap to his senses- he didn't have time to groggily wake up as if he'd just fallen asleep. Shadow... the others.. What had happened?

His eyesight came into focus- and as he quickly regained his senses, Green let his eyes quickly scan the room he was in, analyzing his new surroundings. He was in a wide, square room, with a high ceiling and numerous stained glass windows decorating the very tops of the walls surrounding him. An ominous, dark light flooded through those windows and cast dreary, darkened shadows across the ground beneath him... faintly, he could hear the rumble of thunder from outside, and the castle trembled lightly under the rage of the storm outside as lightning flashed, coursing through the windows and briefly illuminating the room in a blaze of yellow light.

... He was alone.

His sword and shield had already been drawn and held at the ready, and Green calmly and slowly turned around him, looking at all sides of the room. He stood at the center of the room, alone- and there were no doors nor passageways leading in or out of the room. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he looked around him once more, unfazed as lightning once more lit up the room for a brief instant, immediately afterwards plunging the room back into its haunting darkness.

And yet, through the relative silence of the room, as the dull rumble of the storm continued onwards outside- a sudden sound interrupted the silence, one malicious and cruel, high-pitched and like that of a witch. It was a laugh- quiet and calm, yet twisted in a sinister way even Green could not describe.

The Link clenched his jaw, looking suspiciously around him once more. That voice was familiar... he'd heard it speak, just a minute ago as he was waking back up.

"... Who's there?" Green snapped, taking a few steps backwards as he thought it wise to keep himself closer to the walls. His eyes darted from side to side- the room was still dark...

Joining the voice of the first, came another- deep and heavy, sounding as if it came from the deepest pits of hell itself. Green recognized it instantly- it was the voice of the other one who had spoken earlier. It, too, was laughing- slowly and quietly, though slowly beginning to build.

Were these two...?

Green once more scanned the empty room around him, his eyes doing their best to penetrate through the darkness- and yet, as he scanned the room in front of him, lightning once more flashed across his vision, blinding him for the split second in which it illuminated the room in its fierce, yellow light-

And in the instant that it was gone, so the darkness had returned- yet Green was no longer alone.

His eyes widened and he took an instinctive step backwards, holding up his sword- and looked upon his enemies for the first time as they stood, side-by-side, in the center of the room. The lighting was dim and dark- yet he could still see each of them clearly, their forms only seeming to be emphasized by the dark shadows cast upon them.

To the left stood a tall and slender figure with pale green skin, wearing a dull, maroon garb and spiked shoulder armaments. From spiked guards on each of her arms flowed a dark blue cape behind her, and the ends of her ghostly-white garb trailed behind her across the stone floor. And yet, the most terrifying feature of all were her glowing, orange eyes- or rather, one eye- the other was hidden underneath a dark mask which spiked over her forehead, covering half of her face from view. Her lips were twisted in a devilish, wicked grin- and when they parted to speak, a horrible, twisted voice escaped from within.

"Our guest is finally awake," the Sorceress of Shadows, Veran, hissed with delight as she took a step forward, eyeing Green with malice and a thirst for destruction.

The figure which stood beside her took a massive, heavy step forward- and as a clinking, metallic sound rumbled through the room, so the entire floor shook with the single step, and the massive general's golden armor was suddenly alit by another flash of blinding lightning from the storm outside. His armor, spiked and glistening in terrible gold and blue, was thicker than the very walls of the room, and covered the massive, hulking soldier from head to toe. A strange, blood-red insignia was etched upon his chest-plate, and in both metallic-gloved hands he held up a gigantic object which rattled like a chain when he stepped.

From behind the massive, spiked helmet which glowed golden like the rest of his armor, the General of Darkness, Onox, sneered and glowered at the small child which stood before him, tightening the grasp on his terrible ball-and-chain and lifting it up higher, the chains clinking together with the movement and the numerous, deadly spikes on the ball reflecting against the light from the stained glass windows. And when he spoke, too, so Green could see his mouth parting in a dastardly and hellish want for power.

"And there is just but one of them," Onox spoke, his voice deeper than the darkest pits of hell and rumbling with a threatening, powerful aura. His sneer grew in teasing and contempt and he spoke again, "How... disappointing."

Green grit his teeth, swallowing a lump in his throat as he took another step backwards. So these... these two were Veran and Onox. The two who had turned their entire world upside-down, ridden destruction through Hyrule and robbed them of their memories...

His eyes flashed, and narrowed in fierce determination as he held up his sword.

"You're wrong," Green growled, finally finding his voice as he faced his attackers without fear. "I'm not the only one. The others... they'll... they'll be here soon," he finished firmly, trying to hide the wavering uncertainty in his voice.

The room suddenly erupted in the shrieking sound of Veran's cackle as the witch threw her head back and laughed uproariously at Green's remark. The storm raged on outside, once more lighting up the room- and as the sorceress narrowed her vicious, green eyes, she snapped viciously, her grin still twisted into a wicked sneer, "You foolish boy. You think the others will come to save you? They have fallen. You are all that's left. And even then... we'll be sure and make quick work of you!"

Without hesitation or command, the massive general beside her took another hulking step- and, in one swift, fluid motion, raised an arm high over his head, swinging it forcefully once in a wide arc-

Green's eyes snapped open-

- and he was just quick enough to whip out his shield before he was suddenly shouting aloud, flying backwards as he was attacked by the massive and terrible weapon wielded by the General of Darkness. The spiked ball and chain slammed heavily against his shield, the spikes denting the strong metal of the shield and the sheer force of the impact sending Green off his feet and flying backwards. The Link gasped, his eyes flying wide open as the breath was knocked out of him, his back flung against the wall and slamming heavily against its hard, stone surface. He felt himself slump- but quickly caught his feet beneath him before he could fall, and staggered to stand, lifting his shield as he tried to recover from the attack.

Once more the Link cringed as the ear-shattering, piercing sound of the witch's cackling pierced through the room, and Veran took a step forward, madly giggling with glee at the successful attack. "What fun! I only wish the rest of you were here, so we could kill all of you like this," Veran sneered with her wicked grin, taking another step forward. "Too bad they were all too weak to survive getting here. I suppose we'll just have settle with killing you, then."

"That... that's not true!" Green shouted back, still trying to regain his breath from the attack and forcing his legs to keep standing. He narrowed his eyes as he looked, unafraid, from one to the next. "You're wrong! They're all alive!" he yelled at them both, taking another firm step forward. "There's no way you idiots could have-"

However, in the blink of an eye as lightning once more flashed brilliantly across the room, Green suddenly found himself once more shouting in surprise and pain as he was thrown backwards, a heavy force slamming the front of his shield like the attack before. This time, he had not been ready to defend himself- and though the shield saved him from the deadly, sharp spikes of the ball-and-chain, it was not enough to keep the Link on his feet, and once more he found himself falling backwards, his back slamming against the wall behind him. However, this time, his legs buckled beneath him, unable to cope with the second round of immense pain, and he slumped against the wall, falling back down onto the floor as he gasped for breath.

The ball-and-chain... it was a powerful weapon, unlike any he had seen before. It was quick and relentless- Onox had lashed it out again in a split second, and as Green looked up, his eyes widened- the two of them were approaching once more. Veran seemed to be gliding over the floor in an almost ethereal, demonic fashion, while Onox's heavy, armored steps continued to make the ground beneath him shake and tremble. Each of them, beneath their masks of darkness and hatred, gave glowering, terrifying sneers as they approached.

"What a shame... all your friends are gone," Veran cackled once more, with a voice sharper and more cruel than nails against stone as her grin spread wider and wider across her wicked face. "We have barely begun... and already, you have lost."

Gasping, Green once more forced his feet under him, pushing himself off the wall and staggering a few steps forward. His eyes narrowed viciously, and a tight knot built up in his throat. Once more, he held up his sword- and shouted as loud as he could towards his oppressors.

"My friends could never fall to you!" Green roared, taking a step forward, ignoring the pain from the ball-and-chain and ignoring the threatening advance of his foes. He raised his sword and shield, once more shouting in defiance and strength, "YOU are the ones who have _lost_!"

The two enemies paused in their advance, their eyes widening in light surprise at their enemy's fervor. However, this surprise lasted only seconds- and soon, smiling once more in their cruel and twisted delight, they once more began to advance, chuckling and cackling low in their throats. The great general raised a heavy, armored foot, taking a massive strive forward-

BOOOM.

Green's eyes flew open wide. And he was not alone in his shock. For before Onox could even set his foot down on the ground and once more cause the room to tremble before his might, a different sort of tremor shook the entire ground beneath them, a dull crashing sound echoing across the closed-off room. The two enemies looked at one another in shock. Green's heart flipped in his chest as his eyes widened.

BOOOM.

It came again- this time, more powerful than the first, and louder- closer... The walls began to shake, and from behind him, Green could faintly hear the sound of pebbles falling out of cracks in the stone wall.

"N-no... Impossible...!" Veran swore, her eyes widening as she hissed in fury, her and her partner in crime taking a shocked step backwards.

Green slowly turned around, his eyes wide in disbelief as he stared at the wall behind him, and at the massive crack which had appeared in its center...

And with a mighty explosion, greater than any that had previously hit the room, the wall burst open and outwards, hundreds of thousands of boulders splintering off and rocketing into the room, blown to smithereens and scattered across the arena by the massive blast. Smoke and dust filled the room, blown outwards by the mighty explosion- but just as quickly as the wall had been decimated, so Green could clearly see through the smoke just what came in afterwards.

_"CHAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGEEE!"_

Shouting aloud, holding their swords high and leaping through the rubble of the broken down wall to land confidently and firmly in the room before them, the rest of the team of Links- Blue, Red, Vio, and Shadow- flew through the cloud of smoke they had created, wide grins on their faces and their eyes wild and unafraid.

Laughing loud, Blue took a step forward as he twirled his sword once in his hand, the grin wider on his face than it had ever been before.

"Ha-HA! I've ALWAYS wanted to do that!" the overeager Link roared in excitement, balling his non-sword hand eagerly into a fist and pumping it into the air, still thrilled from their dramatic appearance. His wild eyes looked over to the Link beside him, and he flashed a grin. "Nice entrance, Shadow," he grinned.

The Link beside him lowered his right hand, which was still smoking from the powerful blast which had ricocheted off the tips of his fingers. A fanged grin grew across his face, and from beneath those blackened locks of hair gazed back two vicious, determined red eyes. "Thanks," he replied with a curt laugh, taking a step forward through the smoke as it slowly began to clear.

Green's eyes were wide, and his jaw had dropped nearly to the floor. The heart which had flipped upside-down in his chest just moments before flipped once again, right-side up, as his heart swelled to a size which he nearly thought would make it explode.

"GREEN!" From the edges of the smoke came a voice Green thought he would die of happiness to hear again. And quickly running towards him came Red's excited, running figure, jumping right up to Green and wrapping his arms tight around his friend. "We found you! You're here! We're all together again!" the Link chirped eagerly, jumping up and down in circles as he clung to Green.

Lastly, stepping through the fading fog and standing next to Shadow, Vio gave a calm, cold smirk as he looked over to Red and Green, then up to the two enemies who had fallen silent out of shock. Grinning, he crossed his arms. "Glad we made it in time," the Link said with a laugh as he looked out of the corner of his eyes at his friends, his eyes glinting in eagerness and determination. "And to think, we almost missed all the fun."

"Yeah! Damnit, Green, what'd I say about starting without us?" Blue added with another laugh as the heroes walked up to join their friend.

"I... I don't believe it...!" Green said, laughing as he shook his head, incredulous and flabbergasted at the appearance of his friends. He looked at each of them in turn in shock, wonder, and joy. "Blue... and Red... Vio, Shadow! How... How did you guys...?"

"NO!"

Jerked away from their reunion, the five sets of eyes instantly snapped to the side as another bold, loud voice broke through the room.

The entire room once more shook in a brief tremor as the armored knight slammed down his foot, his grimace ensnaring his face in hate and frustration.

"How the hell are you all _alive_?" The General of Darkness roared, his metallic gloves clenched tight as he tried to suppress his rising fury.

"This is impossible!" Veran shrieked, her eyes wide and her fanged teeth showing in a terrible snarl. "You're all supposed to be dead!"

"Well then, for dead kids, we sure know how to make an entrance!" Blue shot back with a laugh.

"Such a shame, then, that you're about to lose to a bunch of deceased heroes," Vio added with a calm smirk, looking back, amused and unafraid, at their opponents.

Still squeezing Green tightly, Red looked up at his friend with his wide, adoring eyes. "You said we'd be okay, Green! And I knew you were right! I believed in you, Green!"

"All welcomings aside," came a blunt voice, and all turned to look at its source as Shadow continued, the mischievous grin growing across his face. "I suppose explanations are in order. If you're going to get your asses kicked, you might as well be told how. Blue? Care to go first?" He raised an eyebrow over at the other Link.

Smiling over at Green, Blue raised a hand, clapping it firmly over their leader's shoulder. "What, you think a bunch of boulders could hold ME back?" he asked with a laugh, turning his sights over to the infuriated enemies before them and raising a calm, curious eyebrow in a calm smirk. "... Still. We did have help."

"Help?-!" Veran demanded, outraged, taking a step back in shock. "Who...?-!"

Grinning, Red finally let go of Green, jumping back and looking triumphantly up at Veran and Onox. "Yeah!" he said eagerly, balling his hands into fists. "Same with me! I fell under the sands into a new room..."

"And when I fell, I landed in some sort of body of water inside the castle," Vio continued, smiling cooly as the Links continued their explanation, to the delight of Green and the growing rage of Veran and Onox. "Oh, to be sure, we each would have remained trapped. That is..."

Lastly, Shadow picked up where the others left off as he once more crossed his arms, looking to Green with a glint in his eyes. And it was then that Green noticed something about Shadow- the wound in his left shoulder had long stopped bleeding, yet he still held his left arm differently than his right. Suddenly reminded, Green looked over at the others as well- he could still see the remnants of Blue's injured arm through a slit in his tunic, and Vio and Red seemed to be bruised and battered- though still eager and unafraid in their stances as they stood firm against the enemy. They were all wounded... The castle had taken a heavy toll on each of them. But they were finally back together.

Unfazed, Shadow's voice became serious and calm, underlying with a tone of victory, as he stared down those who had once been his cohorts.

"... There was a light."

Their anger mounting, yet also confusion building, Veran and Onox turned to look at one another, before looking back at Shadow, who still wore a calm and cool smile across his face.

"What do you guys mean, a light?" Green asked curiously, still looking over at the others- yet also still unable to get rid of the massive grin which had formed across his face from the moment his friends had burst into the room.

"Some sort of glowing ball of light appeared to each of us," Blue explained with a grin as he looked over at Green. "To me in the collapsed cave, to Red in the room beneath the sand, and to Vio in the water. It led us through the castle-"

"And eventually, we all ended up running into each other!" Red continued, grinning and nodding as he jumped up, latching onto Blue's arm in excitement. The opposite Link blinked in surprised and snorted, reluctantly trying to pry Red off of him.

"One by one, we were brought back together," Vio spoke next with the calm smile, still looking, unafraid and undeterred, at their enemies. "We were even able to find Shadow."

"From that point on, the light led us to this wall," Shadow finished, grinning as he jerked his thumb behind him. "At first, we weren't going to come in here- didn't want to leave this jerk behind-" he added, grinning as he looked sideways at Green- "but then we heard the sounds of fighting. And, well, we weren't going to wait any longer. We came here to knock the shit out of you two, and I plan on doing just that!" he finished with a loud and triumphant laugh, taking another step forward, kicking aside the rubble as the dark magic once more began to grow from his right hand and his burning, red eyes set their sights upon the enemies before them.

Triumphant, Green looked over at Veran and Onox, his spirits raised and his determination refueled. The two enemies had taken steps back from the heroes, gnashing their teeth and clenching their fists upon realizing they were now outnumbered.

Laughing, Green moved to stand next to his friends- smiling as he felt the warmth of their team spreading through them once more. "Well, Veran? Onox?" he taunted back at them, feeling rejuvenated in every sense. "You had wished we were all here to fight... looks like you got your wish! You two don't stand a chance against us!"

Rallying around their leader, the four Links grinned, each raising their weapons as they looked upon their enemies without fear and with the sureness of their victory.

And yet...

As the story of the Links' survival came to a close, and the shock began to wear off, an eerie sort of calmness began to pervade the room... And the Links watched in confusion and reluctance as the composures of their enemies returned to their terrifying, calm and smug demeanors. Onox even chuckled once more, shaking his head sadly as his metallic armor rattled menacingly with the movement. And to Veran, though her teeth had once gnashed against each other in rage, so her calm and malicious smile had returned, spreading across her wicked face with her eyes looking amusedly at the heroes.

"... I think you will soon find out," Veran cooed, her voice flowing yet demonic as she laughed, "It is you children who do not stand a chance. Why, dear Shadow..."

The four Links blinked in surprise as one of their own were addressed, and, his eyes widening and his lips pulling back into a fanged snarl of surprise, Shadow looked at the witch before him.

Her sneer grew- and as lightning once more flashed from outside into the ruin, the light bounced horrendously off her grotesque, twisted grin.

"Why don't you tell your... friends... just how we were able to take the castle in the first place?"

Shadow's eyes widened in sudden realization and shock.

"... What? What is it, Shadow?" Green asked, blinking his eyes in confusion as he turned to look at Shadow. The Link's previous expression of victory and assuredness had all but melted, replaced by one of horror and understanding.

Darkly, as lightning once more illuminated his armor in terrifying, yellow light, Onox took another step forward, gripping his terrible weapon tightly and raising it to eye level. "I'm sure you remember, little brat," the general growled, his voice reverberating deep in his chest and rattling the sturdy armor he wore. "So go on, tell them- tell them just how they are about to die."

By now, the Four Links had each looked at Shadow, and, his eyes wide in shock, the Link could not look them back, his eyes instead trailing down to the ground. How... how could he have missed this...? How could he have not told them, had not come prepared...?

"Shadow! What's wrong?" Blue demanded sharply, the fear among the Links slowly rising. "What are they talking about?-!"

Snapped out of his thoughts, Shadow grit his teeth as he glowered back up at Veran and Onox, hate rising in him and bubbling to the surface.

"Veran and Onox... they're no ordinary foes..." he snarled, his teeth clenched tight together, his blood-red eyes focused scornfully on his enemies. "They each have certain... powers. Veran..." Sighing, the Link tightly shut his eyes. "... She can... possess others. Take over their bodies. And Onox's armor... grants him invincibility."

He let the words seep in for a moment before he opened his eyes- still full of hate, yet lined with a deep, almost sorrowful, pain. "... Veran destroyed the soldiers from the inside... And no one could land so much as a blow on Onox. And even when they did..." He glared hatefully at the glistening armor the General so proudly wore. "... He could never be harmed."

The room fell into silence as the Links took in this information, looking back in horror at their enemies, who still stood, laughing quietly and sneering, confident in their abilities. Each of the Links remembered well the horrors of the possessing jellyfish in the water temple... And the idea of an untouchable foe was something which they had never once encountered. Just what were they truly up against...? In the fight for their entire kingdom, for their lives and for the lives of all Hylians... In all the trials they had triumphed over... were they now forced to face a demonic, deadly duo of a mind-controlling sorceress and an impervious general?

Shadow shut his eyes once more, looking away. "I'm sorry... I should have told you all earlier..." he muttered under his breath, cursing at himself for his negligence and feeling horrible guilt eat away at him from the inside out. Had he marched his friends into battle... only to condemn them to certain death?

"So you see, dear children," came the cruel and sinister voice to break the silence, Veran grinning as she once more began her slow and steady approach, Onox by her side. "You cannot win. There is no hope for you- there has _never_ been hope for you."

"Now hold still," Onox sneered as he lifted his deadly weapon, the daunting armor glistening in the light of the flashes of lightning from outside the stained glass windows, "And it will all be over with quickly."

"... No."

The Links all turned to look at their leader, and his eyes narrowed in determination as he boldly took a step forward, his Four Sword held at the ready in front of him.

"We will _never_ give up," Green snarled, standing firm by his friends. "I don't care if we have to fight you to the depths of hell itself. We are heroes- we are a team- and no matter what you say, no matter what we are faced with..." The others smiled, feeling their hearts lift and grow by their leader's speech. And slowly, each of them stood beside him to join him in raising their eyes to their enemies.

"We will _NEVER_ _surrender_!"

A small silence stretched between the Link's stand and the enemies before them- and yet, before long, that pause had to be broken, and the two horrors before them smirked in amusement.

"... Good!" Veran cooed, snarling as she began to approach, once more inhumanely gliding over the surface of the floor. "All the more fun for us..."

Clenching tight his weapon, the massive, heavy-set General took a step forward, shaking the very foundation of the tower with his bulk and grinning fiercely behind his mask. "I am going to enjoy this," he snarled in twisted pleasure, taking another heavy step forward.

And as the lightning once more flashed from outside, lighting up the arena before them-

The Links' eyes snapped open wide in shock.

The light... it was not lightning... It lit the entire room in a constant light, flooding the entire arena in brightness... And it was growing... Approaching from the side... Their own eyes wide in bewilderment, Veran and Onox turned to look towards the side as the light grew in intensity from the stained glass windows lining the upper edges of the walls...

Slicing through the darkness of the room and shattering the glass of the windows came a sudden, powerful shaft of light, bursting into the room and illuminating the entire arena in its brightness. And yet, as the light took form and spread its wings, flying around the arena as it circled the enemies, a massive barrier of light drawn from its path and encircling the enraged and confused enemies before them...

The Links' jaws dropped open wide, and their eyes flew open in realization and amazement.

_"KAEPORA!-!-!"_

Screaming aloud in rage and hatred, Veran and Onox stormed forward, attempting to bypass the wall of light- but as the great owl rounded around the two, completing the barrier of light he had created around them, so the enemies were held back, and continued to roar and shriek in fury. His massive wingbeats slowing down as he neared the children, the owl of light, Kaepora Gaebora, flew above the five children as he called down towards him.

"Heroes!" hooted Kaepora, his voice mighty and booming- louder than it had ever been, as it echoed with an aura of light and holiness- "I will continue to assist however I can! They shall not stand against the light unopposed!"

"Then... back there... that was you!" Blue gasped, his eyes wide as he watched the light continue to follow Kaepora's every wingbeat, glowing from his form and continuing to entrap the two enemies before them.

"You were the one who led us through the castle!" Red called out, his face brightening in delight.

"But... wait! What are you doing?" Shadow shouted, taking a concerned step forward as he followed the owl's movements in the room above them.

"The unnatural, dark powers they wield... so long as the light remains strong, they shall not be able to use them!" Once more, the owl hooted loud and powerful as he swooped in upon the enemies, once more becoming the shaft of light which had split through the stained glass windows into the room. And as the light slammed against the barrier of light, so it became part of the barrier itself- and once more the room was engulfed in the light, and as it did, so the Links could hear, ripping through the stone walls around them, the shrieks and bellows of rage and agony from behind the barrier of light.

"He's taking away their powers!" Vio cried jubilantly, looking upon the scene with wide, excited eyes.

"NO...! YOU FOOLS...! YOU HAVE NO IDEA... OUR... _POWER...!-!-!-!"_

Even from beneath the powerful wall of light, so the roars of their enemies came strong... and though the Links held their swords strong, facing their enemies unafraid... even they could not be prepared for what came next.

It started in a bright flash of light- and ended in darkness.

The barrier of light was obliterated in an instant- bursting outwards from the sheer pressure and power blasting upon it from the inside, it was shattered before the heroes could even blink. And as it was blasted outwards, its light dashed out in a heartbeat, so the entire room was suddenly cast into darkness as a terrible and horrific power, unlike any the Links had seen before, burst outwards from the two demonic forms in a massive wave, pulsing outwards in one, giant attack until it covered the entire room in blackness.

In a heartbeat, they were all on the floor- on their knees, their power drained from them and the life from their very forms beginning to be sucked away. The terrible, twisted, horrific darkness continued to pulse outwards from the two screaming, raging forms in the center- and as the darkness from a pure evil, unholy and demonic source continued to radiate from their forms, so the Four Sword heroes slowly felt their light leaving them...

Shadow's eyes widened as his heart stopped. Fearfully, he glanced to the side- the others... they had all fallen to the ground, just barely keeping their balance on their knees, their eyes wide and no sounds coming from them as the darkness, horrid and deep, ate away at them. He was unaffected... he was... unaffected... and as the darkness passed over him, delving through his form and passing through him untouched, his heart jolted in sudden realization. He knew this... He knew this power, this pure darkness... it could only have come from one source...

"No..."

His voice was but a whisper in shock as he gazed at the two forms in the center.

No... How could they...? They shouldn't have been able to... It was... impossible...

Through his shock, he suddenly heard a scream, and his wide eyes looked upwards.

From above the darkness, flying just above it, came the glowing circle of light he knew to be Kaepora.

"Heroes! The darkness... I cannot... I cannot come closer...!"

Instantly, Shadow jerked back to his senses, fear jolting through his heart and making his eyes snap open.

"KAEPORA! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE! _NOW_!" Shadow roared as loud as he could, raising his fist as he blasted a bolt of shadow magic at the owl, intending to miss as it struck the wall above him. The owl hooted out once more as it flew through the open windows, unwillingly pushed away by the encroaching, devastating darkness...

And slowly, his chest heaving, Shadow looked back at his friends.

He closed his eyes, calming himself as he took a slow, deep breath...

And, shouting aloud in all his pain and effort, balling both his hands into tight fists, the hero of darkness took a firm step forward, kneeling down and slamming the ground beneath him with both fists. His very form seemed to shudder with the effort, but almost instantaneously, the reaction spread from all around him.

Bursting from his form and growing in a wide dome around him and his friends, the barrier of darkness arose against the darkness around him- and this darkness, formed from an inner light rather than an endless pit of blackness, spread until it covered the collapsed heroes. And as the barrier rose, so the wave of evil around it was pushed and forced outwards- creating a safe haven beneath the wall of hateful power, the five Links safely endured through the storm as it continued to rampage through the room around them...

And yet, in their rage and might, even this onslaught had to end, and slowly, the darkness around them faded, until it had all but disappeared.

Gasping, almost all the strength sapped from his body, Shadow collapsed on his knees, the barrier around him and his friends disappearing in an instant. Groaning and blinking open their eyes as they regained their senses, the Four heroes around him slowly began to get to their knees, looking around them in confusion and pain.

"What... what happened...?"

And yet, through all their confusion, one of them flashed determined, enraged, and wide eyes towards the two figures in the center.

Their attack ended, yet each of them still surrounded in the flame of the pure blackness, Veran and Onox stared devilishly, hatefully, at their opponents, enraged snarls across their faces.

"... How..."

Shadow's voice was almost a choke, but swallowing past it, he quickly took another step forward, practically screaming.

"HOW?-! How did you get his power?-!" Shadow roared, his eyes wide in hatred, realization, and fury at the enemies as he struggled to his feet, his entire body shaking. "Damnit! I KNOW what this is!" he swore, his fists clenching, waves of pain flooding through his senses as sweat raced down his neck. "SO TELL ME! _HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IT?-!-?_"

"Shadow! What... What's going on?"

The Four Sword Links, each beginning to regain their senses and their own footing, turned towards Shadow in confusion and slight fear at their friend's explosive rage.

And yet...

Through the darkness, and as Shadow's roars of fury faded away, another sound came back... one all too familiar to the Links. The darkened, twisted sounds of the two enemies before them laughing... And slowly, the both of them took steps towards them, the flames of darkness slowly dying down around their forms- and yet, leaving them as rejuvenated as ever.

Her eyes clouded over in the darkness which had engrossed her, Veran narrowed her visions on the heroes, snarling in contempt as she sneered. "Your little pet bird may have taken away our... unique... abilities... However..." Slowly, she raised her hands- and once more, the black flames of darkness leapt around her, dancing around her fingertips in demonic glee. "With the power of darkness... We shall still kill each and every one of you!"

And in Veran's mad cackling, so it was soon joined by the deep, monstrous sounds of the heavy armor slamming on the stone beside her. The dark General took a menacing step forward, his eyes hidden beneath his armor yet the darkness still lurking in every crevice of his terrible, golden armaments. "You fools... do not know our power..." Sneering, the massive General raised his arms- and as he brought his heavy weapon around him, so his hand began to swing as the heavy chain, with the spiked ball at its end, began to rotate around his form.

"FOUR SWORD HEROES!" the devils of darkness screamed as they approached upon their targets, completely sunken by their evil and lifted by the terrible powers of darkness.

_"PREPARE FOR THE DOWNFALL OF THE LIGHT!-!-!-!"_

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><p><strong>It's finally here. The FINAL SHOWDOWN, of good versus evil! The five Links facing against their two mortal enemies, Veran and Onox!<strong>

**The last -cough- FIVE -cough- chapters will be released twice a week until the end. :) Thanks so much everyone for sticking with this story for so long- and hope you guys enjoy the epic finale of the Links' Four Swords Adventure! ^^**

**-Tiggz**

**P.S. Can you guess what Shadow was talking about...? ;D**


	51. Clash

**And so the fight begins!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-One:<strong> Clash

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><p>Almost as soon as their screams had penetrated the atmosphere of the room, thrown from both of their demonic, approaching forms came a massive wave of explosive darkness, blasting outwards and slamming over the five forms of the young Links. The explosion rumbled through the entire room, knocking debris loose from the walls and ceiling and sending the heroes falling backwards once again onto the ground.<p>

As soon as they had fallen, one of their eyes had jumped open and widened at what they witnessed- from the debris and chunks of rocks that were falling from the ceiling and walls, the two beings, as they approached, were taking control of them and sending them flying quickly towards the downed heroes. And so, without hesitation, the young Red Link jumped up, whipping out his Ice Rod and shouting aloud as a large shield of ice burst from the tip of his rod, forming a dome-like shield around him and his friends.

"Green!" The moment Vio had hit the ground, he'd gasped and called out their leaders' name. He shook his head and got to his feet as quickly as he could- and, noticing Red's defense at the corner of his eyes, quickly turned towards Green, his eyes wide and urgent.

The leader of the Links had once more been thrown against the wall by the explosion- the breath knocked out of his chest a third time over. However, stumbling to his feet, he shook his head, mentally snapping himself back into action. There was no time to reel from pain or surprise- the fight had started. And, upon hearing his name called, Green had quickly turned to who had shouted at him.

Snarling, clawing against the debris-covered ground as he struggled to his feet, the headstrong and stubborn Blue hadn't wasted a second form the moment he hit the ground to the moment he jumped back up, infuriated and eager to start the fight. He blinked in surprise upon noticing Red's shield- and yet, though the shield held firm and solid around them, it was only ice- and already, pieces were beginning to shatter from the boulders flying at them. Leaping beside his friend, the Link whipped out his hammer, swinging at the rocks that flew at them, unguarded by the shied, and hurling them back.

Though he had been unharmed by the blast of darkness, it had also thrown him off its feet due to the sheer force- and, still shaking in his rage and realization, he had slowly gotten back to his feet, staring furiously over at the two who were beginning to approach. Mentally he cursed and kicked at himself- how had he been so blind?-!- but as he heard his name called, quickly he looked to the side, running up to join the others.

"Green, we need to keep them separated!" Vio shouted, quickly trying to explain what he had thought of as the two kept behind Red's shield and Blue's protection. "We don't stand a chance against them if they work together! We'll have to fight them one at a time!"

Green grit his teeth, but nodded. "Shadow!" he called out quickly- the other, upon hearing his name, ran towards Green, knowing their time for discussion short and growing shorter by the second- and then nodded upon seeing him come. "Vio's got a plan. We can't-"

"We can't attack them together," Shadow said firmly, baring his fangs and narrowing his eyes. "The second they combine their powers is the second we've lost."

Though Green was slightly startled, he quickly nodded. He hesitated for a moment as he looked over his shoulder- the distance between them was all but closed, there was no more time for discussion- and then, looking back at the others, nodded.

"Vio and Shadow," Green said quickly as he turned towards the fight, his eyes narrowed and his voice quick as he dealt out his orders, "you two, take Red and fight Veran. Keep her away from Onox. Blue and I will take care of him."

Without hesitation, the two Links nodded, quickly running up and grabbing Red by the arm, explaining quickly to him their situation as they bolted to one side of the room. Blue, blinking in surprise watched them leave- but as Green came up beside him, he turned to look at him- and grinned.

Green gave a wry smile, taking out his sword. "You and I are gonna take that general down," he said with a nod. "You ready?"

Blue's grin grew wider. "Am I ready? Ha! Green, I'm ALWAYS ready!" he shouted, eager to start the fight, putting away his hammer and taking out his glistening, silver and gold Four Sword.

As the three Links ran to the opposite side of the room, Shadow, gritting his teeth and keeping his sights focused on their single target, threw balls of shadow magic from his hand towards Veran. "HEY! Veran! Over here!" he shouted as loud as he could, snarling and taunting her with his sneers and his attacks. They had to draw her away from Onox's side, as Blue and Green would have to also keep Onox from fighting alongside Veran. And as his attacks flew by her, some striking- yet not harming- Veran, blasting to pieces as they hit the protective barrier of shadow around her, so the sorceress' wide, infuriated eyes were jerked to the side, her power influenced by her rage, and she turned towards the new nuisance.

Running across the opposite side of the arena, Blue set his jaw into a firm, grim smile as he kept his eyes focused on the massive general. "So, what's the plan?" he shouted, huffing as he ran, towards the leader who ran beside him.

Green returned the same grim smile. "We'll improvise," he answered in between breaths as he ran beside him- and, as soon as he'd spoken, so he reached out from behind him his particular weapon, and grinned. "HEY! Onox!" Shouting aloud, Green threw with all his might his boomerang, his aim perfect and true as it flew towards the terrifying, massive general.

Onox's ball-and-chain, swinging as he stepped, quickly and without hesitation slammed against the incoming boomerang, sending it whirling backwards, unable to penetrate the offensive and defensive weapon and get to the general behind it. However, the distraction had done what it needed to do- and, his eyes jerking to the side under his pointed, golden helm, Onox's sneer crinkled the metal around him as his heavy footsteps began to change their direction.

Quickly, Green was running through the information in his mind as he caught his returned boomerang. They wouldn't be able to get through and strike him while his ball-and-chain was twirling madly around him- so that only left one other possible opening. Green didn't like it, and he grit his teeth-

Grinning, Blue ran up beside Green as the two stopped, a good distance away from the others, and watching Onox walk towards them. "So," he said with a laugh, "improvise, huh? I like it. Tell me what to do!" His eyes narrowed eagerly as they watched his enemy approach, and his grin spread wider and wider.

The leader hesitated for a moment. However, pushing past it, he said quickly, "There's no way we can get to him while that weapon is moving. Meaning we need to-"

"You mean, meaning SOMEONE needs to get hit by it in order for there to be an opening," Blue finished with a clever glint in his eye. "Preferably, someone who can take a hit pretty well, right? ... Dibs!"

Green blinked in surprise. However, a grin soon found its way on his face- and, suppressing a laugh, he shook his head. "Fine. But use your shield," he said firmly, his face becoming serious as he looked back towards Onox, who was approaching fast. "If you get hit without it..."

Blue rolled his eyes, but grinned as he swapped out his sword for his shield. "No problem," he said with a laugh, grinning as he got into a defensive stance and set his sights on the closing-in Onox. "You got my back?"

Green smiled. "Always," he answered firmly, turning his sights onto the enemy and backing up, giving Blue his room to work while he waited for the precious, pricey opening he would need to strike.

The blasts continued to barrage from Shadow's balled-up fist onto Veran's approaching form, though the Links could only watch in terror as the sorceress approached them- and began to glide upwards into the air above them. The high ceiling offered plenty of room for the witch to move, and as she closed in on the heroes, the magical blasts of Shadow's magic continued to bounce harmlessly off her protective shield around her.

And yet, before the three Links could do anything else-

Laughing, and bringing up a hand, the sorceress Veran quickly flicked her wrist at the heroes- and from the palm of her open hand came several hideous, powerful shafts of blackness which slammed downwards at the ground beneath her. And as each blast of darkness blasted against the ground, so they didn't explode or burst upon impact- but, as if absorbing the shock of the impact itself, the blackness began to grow, changing shape until it developed form...

The three Links' eyes widened in horror as they took more steps back, their sights having been changed from Veran to the several monstrosities she had created- three blackened, soulless and red-eyed forms that matched their own.

As the Links reveled in their horror and shock, so the hideous laughter from the witch above once more split the room in half with its shrieks. "Quite a nice trick, don't you think?" she taunted the heroes from above, her sick grin plastered all over her face as she looked proudly upon her monstrosities. The three Dark Links, wielding swords and shields of blackness of their own, began to circle around the three heroes, their silent, narrowed red eyes, hungry and relentless, focused solely on their targets before them.

And when one got too close-

Shouting aloud, Shadow whirled around, his good hand balled into a fist as he slammed it in front of him, sending a blast of shadow magic aimed at one which had circled around him. Yet, in his triumph of the attack, Shadow's eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as he watched his successful attack fail.

The blast of darkness from his fist went clean though the Dark Link- and though it had paused, looking at its chest where the attack had gone through- it continued to advance once again, a sick grin on its face.

"Damnit! My magic doesn't work on these things!" Shadow swore as he stepped closer to the others, looking at their enemies with narrowed, hateful eyes.

Again came the horrible, twisted laughter from above, and, shrieking in her glee, Veran taunted once more, "Of course not, you traitorous child! Why should dark magic be able to harm dark magic? You foolish, insolent boy!-!"

Vio's eyes narrowed as the three Links began to be drawn into a tight circle, Veran above them laughing as the three Dark Links started to close in on them. He had to think of something... a plan! But what? He didn't even know what their attacks or weaknesses were!

"You... you leave my friends _alone_!-!" Red shouted, his eyes narrowed in anger as he took a step forward. Whipping out from behind him his Ice Rod, the young Link aimed for the Dark clone still approaching Shadow, firing an icy blast of magic towards it.

Caught up in its advance upon Shadow, the Dark clone's eyes were only just able to snap to the newest threat before it was upon it- and, shrieking in pain, the creature took a step backwards as the ice blasted over it, cracking and popping as it solidified and encased the monster in ice. Leaping forward, without a second's hesitation, Red had swapped out his Ice Rod for his sword- and, slicing out at the frozen enemy, Red's blade quickly and sharply went through the ice-covered enemy, digging deep into the dark material the creature was consisted of and slicing clean out the other side.

Vio's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Red's attack- and when the monster screamed and writhed in agony, stumbled backwards out of the shattered ice and clinging its glowing-white wound in its side, the Link turned to look at Red with a bright grin. "Way to go, Red!" he shouted ecstatically, laughing in surprise and triumph. Already, the other Dark Links, learning from the first's mistake, were beginning to back up, now wary of Red's weapon. "That was-"

"Look out!-!"

Interrupting Vio quickly came Shadow's voice- and in a split second, the Link had leapt in front of Vio, his hand extended as a blast of shadow magic burst from his palms outwards- just barely meeting an opposite blast of shadow magic in the air before it was able to reach its target. The two blasts collided- and, opposite each other, blasted apart into oblivion.

"What?" Veran screamed from above, her eyes narrowed into slits at the anger of Red's successful attack, and her own failed one. "How can you-"

"Dark magic can't harm dark magic, remember?" Shadow sneered, looking triumphantly back up at Veran.

Quickly, Vio spoke.

"Red! Take care of the Dark Links!" he shouted quickly, looking over to Red and nodding sharply. Red returned the nod- and, in the next instant, Vio looked over to Shadow, giving a grim smile as he took out his bow. "I can't reach her by sword while she's up there," he said quickly, "So this will have to do. Block her attacks for me- when she leaves an opening, I'll take it."

Shadow looked over his shoulder at Vio, giving a smirk. "My pleasure," he said with a laugh, looking back at Veran with narrowed, determined eyes as Vio docked an arrow to his bow and readied to fire. "Come on, Veran!" Shadow taunted, shouting out to their enemy in triumph. "Let's see what you've got!-!"

And as Veran began to shoot off her blasts of magic, Shadow returning his own, Red firing blasts of ice magic at the still-circling Dark Links, and Vio dodging the attacks as he fired arrow after arrow from his bow, so, on the opposite side of the room, a similar fight was beginning to play out as the lone Link readied his shield, keeping his eyes firm and determined as he waited for the right moment.

Blue took a slow, deep breath as walked forward, his shield held out firmly in front of him. The menacing sound of the spiked, heavy ball-and-chain whirling through the air grew louder and louder as the terrible, powerful General approached... and when it was almost too loud, Blue grit his teeth, forcing a grin on his face, knowing he was ready- that he would _always_ be ready.

Onox, roaring in fury and might, swung his ball-and-chain with all his force, propelling the gargantuan, terrifying weapon through the air and towards its victim. And yet, Blue could hardly be labelled a victim- as, with a wide grin on his face, his shield held out sturdily in front of him, the Link leapt forward into the range of the weapon, ready to take the hit.

And take it he did- for in the next split second as Blue ran forward, the massive weapon, almost as big as the hero himself, struck the blunt side of his shield, the spikes heavily denting the metal and the sheer might of the force behind the swing sending the hero flying off his feet and skidding across the ground. Blue's eyes were shut tight as he winced against the hit- but, ignoring the pain and ignoring everything that came with it, he kept the grip on his shield tight, knowing he'd done just what he needed to do.

And in Onox's split-second of weakness, the quick moment after he fired his weapon, putting all of his force and energy into the one, single motion of swinging his weapon to its target-

So Green took it.

Charging in from the side, his blade trailing behind him as he ran, Green's eyes were narrowed and focused on his target as he ran in, leaping up as soon as he reached the enemy and swinging outwards with his sword in a powerful and precise Jump Attack. Onox's eyes went wide and jerked to look to the side as his attacker came- yet it was all he was able to do before Green's sword came down upon his armor.

And what followed next was what Green was expecting last.

His blade scored heavily across the golden, metal armor, digging a harsh groove into it and sending thousands of sparks flying across its path, the blade slicing over the armor as it attempted to get through the protective material to the vulnerable enemy beneath. And yet, as his strike came to an end, Green found himself gasping and stumbling back from the effort, and from the shock of what he saw.

The strike had left a massive cut in the general's armor- and yet, still his sword had been unable to get through. And Green watched with wide eyes as the scratch in the armor slowly began... to change... As if disappearing into nothingness, the golden armor beneath and around the scar began to expand, filling in the dent carved by Green's sword until the entire mark was gone- as if it had never been attacked.

Slowly, the general turned around towards Green, his heavy footsteps making the ground rumble with every metallic step he took. The sick grin spread across his face as he stared down at his enemy, and his arm began to raise, the chain bound to his ball-and-chain beginning to move...

And, in a split second, the general roared out in rage as he flung his ball-and-chain around him, the spiked end of it aimed for the defenseless child right in front of him-

The ball swung and collided heavily with a resounding thud- but both the attacker and the attacked stared in wide-eyed surprise just at what it had hit.

Lunging forward and leaping in between his friend and the weapon, Blue had quickly stepped in between them both, his hammer gripped tightly in both fists. And as the spiked weapon came around to them, so he swung with all his might- and as the end of the hammer hit the end of the spiked weapon, so both the ball-and-chain and the hero himself were flung backwards by the resulting, opposite and equal forces.

Staggering backwards from his weapon's loss of momentum, and the change in its direction as it was flung backwards, the General shouted in fury as he was caught off-balance, his eyes narrowed and burning towards the one who had interrupted his strike.

The hit had taken more out of the strong Link than he had expected- and, thrown into the wall with such force it made the rocks crack behind him, Blue had gasped, slumping down against the floor, all the energy drained out of him in a heartbeat. His muscles shook as he tried to push himself back up and into the fight- but as he looked up, his eyes grew wide at what he saw.

The ball-and-chain swung around powerfully in the air as it was once more charged into a raging arc by its owner, the towering general having advanced upon the injured hero and setting his burning, hating sights upon him. Screaming in all his rage, Onox charged back his weapon as he swung it around him, preparing to strike-

And yet, in the moment before his weapon was directed to the Blue hero, a flash of motion caught Blue's eyes- and he watched in wide-eyed surprise and excitement as the ever-faithful, ever-precise boomerang of his friend whirled around them, quickly and sharply arcing back as it struck the unsuspecting General straight in his chest.

The boomerang had an instantaneous effect- and, as soon as it had struck through the General's armor, digging deep in between the plates of golden metal and then arcing back to return to its owner, so the monster's eyes had widened and he had frozen dead still in his tracks- as if his entire body paralyzed from the hit.

His eyes burning with the rage of a warrior, the fierce devotion to protect his friend and take down his foes rising up within him, Green ran towards the stunned General, both hands gripped tightly around the hilt of his holy Four Sword and his sights set upon the target before him. Shouting aloud, Green leapt forward upon his enemy- and brought his sword down.

Blast after blast of shadow magic barraged the three heroes as they ran around the central point of their enemy, one protecting the other as he tried to land a blow on the enemy as the third kept the ever-constant threats of the dark copies around them at bay. The battle was intense and gave the fighters not a second's moment of rest, nor allowing a second's moment of hesitation. And as the Dark copies tried to advance upon the unsuspecting Vio and Shadow, so Red found himself having to quickly jump from side to side, keeping them back with powerful, threatening blasts from his Ice Rod. And yet, the three versus the one were slowly beginning to overwhelm him, and the exhausted Link found himself tripping and stumbling, shouting out as he once almost came too close to getting hit by their blasts.

Arrow after arrow flew through the air in quick succession by the skill of Vio's precision, his eyes narrowed and focused as he aimed for the moving target above him. And yet, with each arrow, his frustration mounted, until his face was completely contorted in anger, and he fired each arrow with a growing anger. For almost every arrow that he fired, cackling like a mad witch, Veran quickly and easily dodged, with almost unnatural speed and accuracy.

Vio's eyes narrowed as he focused his arrow on the shrieking witch above him. He'd had enough. He wasn't a Link for nothing- and, his finger twitching as he waited for just the right moment, the hero kept his calm gaze focused on Veran...

And as she blasted another beam of shadow magic towards him, which Shadow quickly countered with one of his own, Vio's eyes snapped open wide as he let the arrow fly-

Slicing through the air towards its target, the arrow could not have missed. It flew straight and true, and aimed right to the center of the devilish Sorceress-

"NO!" Even Vio could not contain his rage as he shouted aloud, his eyes widening in fury and taking a step forward as he watched his arrow sail effortlessly through the space above where Veran had just been seconds before- but right as the arrow came towards her, so, cackling, she had vanished into thin air. Quickly, he whirled around, his eyes wide as he raced to find where she would reappear- and, his eyes flashing, quickly saw her image reappear in the corner of his eyesight.

Whirling around, Vio had just enough time to dodge- as Shadow threw back more blasts of his own- before another blast came at him from behind. Once more, he threw up his bow and aimed- but in another second, so she had disappeared again.

"Ahh!"

Shadow and Vio, their eyes snapping open at the sudden shout, quickly looked to the side-

Knocked down against the wall, Red was wincing as he held his arm with one hand, looking up at the creatures which had advanced upon him. They each were ravaged with marks of his hits- frozen and unfrozen, time and time again, struck down by Red's sword, they were covered in almost as many scars of light as they were darkness itself. And yet, formed from the very magic itself, so they did not stop, and had been advancing on the single Link further and further, wearing him down into exhaustion until finally, seizing the moment, one had gotten close enough, another attacked, leaving the third to move in and strike.

"Shadow! Go help Red, now!" Vio shouted, his mind instantly racing as his heart beat unnaturally fast in his chest. They were fighting a losing fight- he didn't think they could've been in more trouble than they already were, but this made things worse. He still couldn't land a blow on Veran, who was constantly teleporting, and Red was being overwhelmed.

Shadow clenched his jaw tightly as he bit back an argument. Vio would have no protection against the shadow blasts, and his magic didn't even work against the Dark Links. And yet... bitterly, he nodded his head, quickly whirling around and running over to Red. He wouldn't allow Red to be overrun.

The monsters were advancing on Red, those sick grins pulled all the way up to their devilish, glowing-red eyes... And yet, leaping in front of them, Shadow quickly put himself in between the approaching Dark Links and Red, his hands curled into tight fists and a heavy, threatening snarl on his face.

"You want something to kill, you little bastards?" Shadow snarled, pulling his lips back into a grin to match theirs. "Come and get ME." Aiming to miss, the Link threw blasts of magic at the three creatures, quickly letting his own shadow magic surround him as he attacked all three of them. The monsters, high in stamina and strength yet low in intelligence, quickly leapt away from the new threat, snarling and circling their new target. And as the dark magic grew around Shadow, so their eyes fixated onto him, growling and snarling as they cluttered towards the familiar power.

"Red! Get up! I'll keep them busy!" Shadow shouted back towards Red as he dodged to the side, drawing the three creatures towards him and away from the Link behind him.

Nodding weakly as best he could, Red pushed the ground beneath him as he moved to stand, shaking his head and recovering from the previous hit. He held his breath as he watched the three monstrosities chase after Shadow, retreating from his feigning hits and firing some of their owns- and, holding up his Ice Rod, frowned. He'd never tried this before... But he HAD to. Gritting his teeth and clenching tight his rod, Red ran into the fray, a plan forming in his mind.

"Alright, Veran! Just you and me, now!" Vio shouted as loud as he could up towards the witch who continued to taunt him by teleportation. He raised his bow, another arrow already ready, searching the skies for her as she continued to disappear and reappear.

"Oh, no... Now... it is just ME!"

Cackling once more and reappearing behind Vio, the Sorceress of Shadows quickly threw another ball of shadow magic to the young Link.

Vio whirled around, his eyes wide-

-And yet, in one swift motion, in a move which surprised even himself as he performed it, the young hero quickly put away his bow- and, in the same motion, drew his sword.

Leaping forward, Vio shouted aloud as he swung his Four Sword against the ball of shadow magic- and, in triumph, he grinned and watched as, upon being struck by the holy blade of light, the ball of shadow magic was instantly shot backwards, its trajectory changed in a second as it aimed for its own creator.

Veran's eyes flew wide open- yet even she was unprepared for such a change, and, shouting aloud, didn't have a moment to protect herself before she was struck by her own magic. Screaming aloud in pain as the dark magic surged through her, wisps of shadow magic crackling around her like electricity, the witch became paralyzed in the air- and, still screaming, began to fall to the floor. Vio's eyes widened- and the grip on his sword tightened. He'd only have one shot at this.

Backed into a corner, Shadow grit his teeth as he looked from side to side, re-evaluating his position. He was surrounded, they were advancing upon him, and he had no means to protect himself, nor fight back. He grit his teeth as he begun to prepare for the worst, raising his fists and clenching his teeth. If he had to go down... magic or no magic, it wouldn't be without a fight.

And yet, from behind the clones, a dull, blue light began to grow...

Unsuspecting, the clones continued to advance- yet Shadow, noticing it in an instant, watched with wide-eyes as the light grew- and in an instant, exploded outwards.

Leaping forward and holding his Ice Rod out, Red shouted aloud as a massive beam of ice shot out from the tip of his rod. He had been biding his time, charging the power in the Ice Rod and letting it grow... Instead of releasing it in short, powerful bursts like he was used to, instead he had let it slowly build up... until the right moment. And when the beam fired, so it grew in a wide arc and instantly sailed through the three Dark Links in front of them, freezing them in an instant upon contact.

And the second the blast had ended-

Running forward, blade exchanged for rod, Red jumped once more in the center of the fight, shouting as he twirled around in a quick and powerful Spin Attack, slicing through the ice of each of the enemies and gouging his blade deep into each and every one of them. Finally, gasping for breath, the Link came to stop beside Shadow, and the two Links watched in awe and triumph as, screaming from the pain of the multiple hits, finally too much for them to keep up their strength, the three clones began to become overrun in the scars of light around them...

And as Vio ran forward, crying out as he leapt and sunk his blade deep into his fallen enemy's form, so the light grew from the corner of the room where the three Dark Links imploded upon themselves, the darkness fading away into the light...

And, in the same motion, so Green's blade came down upon the back of the General, his magical protection gone and his blade easily sinking through the deep, golden armor and gouging into the enemy beneath.

The room was silent for a moment-

And then, erupting in sound, and in both light and darkness, the two enemies, screaming in pain and reeling from the two hits, stood up and staggered away from their attackers, explosive amounts of dark energy radiating from their forms.

Quickly, Green ran over to Blue, extending an arm and helping his friend up. The two looked from Onox to the other shrieking form in the room- and, each of them grinning, nodded to one another and ran towards the center of the room.

Backing up and keeping a careful eye on his enemy, Vio only needed to glance to the side to notice Shadow and Red running up next to him, both freed of their victorious fight. It was then that Red tugged on Vio's sleeve, drawing his attention away from their enemy- and, looking in his friend's direction, soon saw Blue and Green running to meet them. With Shadow tagging along, the three Links, without wasting a second, hurried to meet their friends in the center of the room, grinning in their achievements.

"Are you all alright?" Green quickly asked as soon as the others were in earshot, looking at the others in quick concern.

Grinning brightly, Red gave a nod- though weary, he answered ecstatically, "We're okay! Vio stabbed Veran, and Shadow and I got rid of the Dark Links!"

Shadow smirked, crossing his arms. "More like Red did, and I served as the bait," he remarked with a laugh. He looked over at Green and Blue, "what about you two? You guys alright?"

"Who, me?" Blue asked, still lightly exhausted from the run, but giving a bright grin all the same. "Of course I am. A little dazed, but hey, you try walking still after getting hit by that thing." He jerked a thumb towards Green, "Green here managed to get a hit on Onox."

Vio gave a grim smile, nodding. "Then we were all successful," he said, looking back over at Veran and Onox. "Has it done much...?"

The five Links, battered and exhausted, though triumphant, looked towards the center of the room where their two enemies had retreated to, still screaming and writhing in their pain as the darkness surrounded them in a protective, angered barrier, blasting outwards in waves, preventing the Links from getting close to them.

Shadow frowned, shaking his head. "No," he said bluntly, narrowing his eyes. "This isn't over yet. Get ready."

Green looked over at Shadow curiously, yet, nodding, looked back over to Veran and Onox, doing as the others had and drawing their swords in preparation.

As all of the darkness had been exploding outwards towards the Links, in an instant, as if sucked back into their controllers, so it was suddenly gone, drawn back into the two devils and leaving the room deathly quiet, and still. Building around the two forms, of the tall and slender Sorceress and the heavy and massive General, so the darkness grew around both of their forms... and, though their eyes opened, only empty, soulless orbs of burning, glowing red stared back at the heroes before them.

"It's growing," Shadow muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. "No... this is far from over."

"Shadow? What do you know about this?" Vio asked quickly, looking to the side over at their friend in surprise.

"... Enough." Shadow's answer was short and curt- but before the Links could press on it more, their attention was forced back to the center at what was occurring there.

Blinded by their pain and rage, the two enemies were once more advancing upon the Links, the darkness growing around them, reverberating over their forms as if feeding off its power.

And as Veran took her steps forward, the cruel smirk twisting downwards in a horrible snarl, so she once more began to rise into the air- and, forgoing the shield of darkness around her for a flaming, solid-yet-burning crystal-like shield around her, so she raised her hands, once more bringing the flaming dark magic burning around her fingertips, eager to resume their destruction. Her image flickered once more, and she sneered- ready to now fully utilize her teleportation powers, and all the tricks they were capable of pulling.

A deep growling sound echoed through Onox's deep, armored chest, and as he took a step forward, so he then stopped- and, holding up the chain of his weapon in both hands, suddenly jerked his arms apart- and, with a sharp clinking sound, so the chain instantly was snapped in half, one of the links falling uselessly to the floor. The General then sneered as he lifted both halves of the chain upwards- and, to the horror of the Links, showed the two spiked balls on the ends of both chains. In easy and effortless succession, the General then began to twirl the two shorter ball-and-chains around him, advancing heavily and quickly upon the Links.

Far from defeated, their loss only strengthening their power and their darkness, the two demonic enemies once more advanced upon the team of Links, the darkness eager and hungry to strike back and exact revenge on those who had dared stand against it.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys enjoyed this twist in fighting! ;D Two bosses, five heroes, at the<em> same time<em>? Who can do it? THE LINKS CAN! ^^ **

**Like Shadow said, though- it's still far from over! ;D Look for Chapter 52 sometime at the start of next week! **


	52. Destruction

**Here we go!**

**THE FINAL FIGHT!**

**ARE! YOU? READY?-! **

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-Two:<strong> Destruction

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><p>Darkness filled the large tower as the two demonic monstrosities once more advanced upon their enemies, their eyes glowing a hateful, blood-bright red and wisps and clouds of shadow magic clinging to them with each step they took. It was almost as if they had not been injured or weakened at all by the attacks of the Links- and, with their change in tactics and an elevation of skills, it became apparent that this would only be even harder than the first.<p>

Green grit his teeth as he studied the two, his eyes narrowed. A second passed of silence- but he didn't need any more. He frowned determinedly, looking to the others with the intense, commanding look of the leader he was.

"... Split up and take them again," Green said lowly and calmly, raising his sword and taking a few steps back, the others meeting his pace as they prepared to do what Green instructed. Turning to look at his team, Green continued, giving a sharp nod as he quickly spoke, "Red, you'll come with me to fight Veran. Blue, Vio, Shadow- you guys know what to do."

Nodding and quickly replying with strong, short words of affirmation, the Links instantly reacted to the command, moving to split into their separate groups as they prepared for the night phase of the fight. While the three Links turned and began running towards the approaching enemies, keeping close to one side as they readied to face the massive, towering general before them, Red turned to look towards Green with a strong, firm smile.

Responding with a grin of his own, Green kept his eyes on the approaching sorceress floating above them as he raised his own sword, quickly calculating exactly what they needed to do. Having forgone her shield of darkness for one of burning, impenetrable fire, he knew there was only one way of getting to her now-

"Red, get her attention for me, will you?" the leader said with a lopsided grin and a laugh as he glanced sideways over to his friend.

Beaming in response, Red nodded eagerly as he sheathed his sword and drew out his Ice Rod. "Okay!" he replied with a laugh, taking an energetic step forward as he swung out his weapon. "HEY! VERAN! Come and get us!-!" the Link shouted boldly as the massive blast of ice rocketed out from the end of his rod and towards the sorceress floating above them.

Veran's eyes had been darting back and forth as the Links split up, and her lips crinkled in rage. Surrounded by her wall of fire, her burning eyes went to the Link who had struck her- and as she raised her arms from afar, pulsing, black-and-red dark magic growing at her fingertips in anticipation for attack, so she set her sights on Vio and the two who surrounded them as they made way for the General himself. And yet, before the witch could bring down her hands, screeching in her attack, her eyes suddenly widened, as, from the corner of her vision, a brilliant blast of icy-blue frost slammed towards her.

Quickly, the witch whirled to face it, snarling as the barrier of fire grew around her, her arms crossing in front of her as she braced for the attack- the ice, upon hitting the fire, sizzled and cracked and popped, exploding in the heat of the flames and extinguishing a great deal of her barrier. Her eyes burned with an intensity nearly to match that of the fires which swelled back up around her, and quickly, without any words, instead screaming in her wrath, she flew over towards the two Links.

"O-okay, Green, what now?" Red cried, taking a step back, slightly fearful of the explosive and infuriated reaction of their enemy.

"Her attacks are those blasts of dark magic she kept throwing at Vio!" Green shouted back, his sword and shield already raised as he prepared himself, keeping his eyes on the swiftly-approaching demoness. "And her defense is that fire! I'll take her attacks and distract her, but I need you to get rid of that shield of hers so I can land a blow on her!"

"Alright! I'm on it!" Red called back in an instant reply, grinning widely as he gripped his Ice Rod. He looked back towards the approaching witch- she was gaining fast upon him, but he wasn't afraid. He wouldn't ever back down from a fight- not ever. Grinning again, the Links quickly ran off to the side, already eyeing the witch and readying his rod for another attack.

The blood-red eyes of the sorceress trailed Red as he ran- but as something flew past her vision, she quickly snarled, her neck jerking sharply to the side to catch the attention of the Boomerang which had just whirled right past her. It hadn't even come close- but Green wasn't aiming to hit. Now that he had her attention... he grinned, taking a few steps and holding his sword out in front of him.

"... Come and _get_ me," Green said with a laugh and wild, narrowed eyes.

And in an instant of explosive fury and power, Veran, shrieking in an almost bestial manner, lunged forward, the fire surging all around her as she flew towards Green. The Link held up his shield, his eyes wide and blazing and his teeth clenched as he prepared to meet his attacker- and yet, seconds before the demonic sorceress' mark would have been met, Veran's image once more disappeared into the empty air above him.

Green's eyes widened, and his heart caught in his throat- and right after Veran had disappeared, so a blast of icy magic flew right in front of him, aimed for the witch that was no longer there. He could faintly here Red crying out in despair at his miss- but even this Green couldn't pay much attention to- for a split second later, his enemy was at his heels once more, lunging forward at him from behind with wide eyes and snarling, bared fangs.

"Ah!" The Link couldn't help but cry out as he quickly leapt to the side, tucking his shield close into him as he rolled just out of reach of Veran's shadow-blast attack. A second later and another blast of ice magic flew past Green and towards the attacker behind him- but a half second before it could reach her, so Veran was gone again, reappearing instantly and sharply back in front of Green.

"She's teleporting too fast!" Red cried out as he aimed once more, again and again, his eyes frantically darting from side to side in a panic as the witch now flew from side to side, disappearing one moment to appear the next in another spot- and, without hardly a moment's breath in one spot, already she was in another, and another, appearing all around them in a flurry of appearances and disappearances. In vain, he cried out as he once more lashed out with his weapon, sending another failed blast of ice magic where the witch had been a second before- but was already gone, and had already been in two other places by the time it would have hit her. "I can't land a blow on her, Green!"

Sweat was pulsing down Green's neck, his heart pounding in his chest and all his muscles tensing up all up and down his body. Whirling around one moment to face the frightening, horrific sight of Veran's twisted grin and blood-red eyes only for her to disappear and reappear behind him, showering him in a torrent of shadow magic. His shield was being blasted to pieces, and even in the desperation, he knew he could only consider himself lucky enough to avoid a direct hit for so long. She was moving too fast- in times it appeared as if she were in two places or more at once- and it wasn't long before-

"AHH!" A painful, powerful yell exploded from Green's mouth as he was flung forwards onto the ground, gasping in agony as his eyes squinted against the terrible pain coming from his back. He could almost feel the sizzle of the dark magic's burn where it had blasted against the back of his tunic... And the harsh feeling of the ground meeting him as he fell ate away at him from all sides. A faint ringing sound was echoing in his ears... And as he grit his teeth, forcing his eyes to open and look around him, he could only just faintly hear Red's shouts and see his friend run up to him... And past him...

Green's eyes widened.

Red was shouting something, lifting his Ice Rod as he created a small ice dome shield around the two and then kneeling down by Green and shaking his shoulder... But even this, Green could not see, nor hear. Instead, his eyes were wide and focused upon past that... To the witch who had struck him.

In her moment of the successful hit, which her magic had struck against Green's back, so the witch suddenly found her barrier faltering, and she winced, as if in pain, retreating a few feet back from the battle and looking away, her eyes shifting and teeth ground together. She was... weakened?

Finally, the world began to make sense again.

"GREEN! Green, come on, get up!" Red wailed as he once more tugged at Green's arms. Finding his feet once more worked, Green struggled to stand up, gritting his teeth against the pain and leaning on Red's support to regain his balance. He could hear Red talking some more as he turned with wide eyes back to Veran, preparing his Ice Rod to once more protect them-

-But that didn't matter now! He knew what he had to do!

"Red!" Green gasped, shaking his head and looking to the smaller Link. "This is important, okay? Leave me, go back to what you were doing before- this time, when I get hit, use your Ice Rod! She'll be weakened after attacking me!"

"But... but you-" Red began to protest, his eyes widening after he realized what Green was proposing. "Green, you can't get hurt again! You'll-"

Firmly, Green shook his head, cutting Red off. "Just do it, Red!" he shouted. "You'll have to trust me on this! And I need to trust you to do this, too!"

The more timid Link hesitated, looking at Green in fear- but, upon hearing the shrieks of their rejuvenated enemy behind him, he set his mouth into a grim frown, tightening his jaw as he nodded.

In another instant, the ice shield dissolved, Red turned and quickly ran off to the side, blinking past his tears as he urged himself onwards to do what he was told to do. Green, shaky on his feet but gritting his teeth in determination, looked up once more at the witch above him. His back still ached... But this was ignored. Nothing else mattered right now. Calmly, he took a deep breath- and held out his sword.

"Heh... is that all you've got?" the leader teased once more with a grin as he took a step back, and then one more, and another, slowly luring Veran back towards him...

Blinded by her fury, hatred, and darkness, Veran screamed as she once more lunged forward, blasting out with her fists another beam of dark magic towards the unprotected hero.

And Green tightened his eyes shut as he held out his shield-

With a flash of blue, a scream of pain and a curtain of darkness collapsing over him, Green suddenly found himself collapsing backwards onto the stone floor beneath him. A heavy gasp seized his chest as he gulped for air, and, his entire body shaking, he struggled to look up...

A blur of red color ran across his vision towards a crumpled form of black on the ground in front of him, and, in a slice of silver, the blackened monster shrieked and fell backwards, writhing in agony. Without a second's hesitation, the blur of red then turned around and ran towards him- and, blinking away the pain and his daze, Green found himself being helped back to his feet, Red's shouts gradually becoming audible once more to him. Squinting past the pain, Green forced himself to look up... And even in their moment of pain and triumph, a worse feeling ran down Green's heart at what the two of them saw.

After Red's strike, Veran, shrinking back and screeching in pain, had huddled once more behind her returning wall of fire. However, as she recovered and stood shakily up, when she looked back at the heroes... Not even the emptiness of her soul stared back at them- only a blazing, burning, raging hatred which engulfed her entire being in a flurry of blazing, black-and-red hellfire. Slowly, she rose once more into the air- this time, almost as limp as a puppet- and yet, as she raised her hands and screamed, in an instant, hundreds of thousands of pillars of flame instantly rose around her in a wide circle, blasting up and out of the ground all around her- until finally, they began to move towards the heroes themselves, creating a path of annihilating fire barreling straight towards them.

The sound of the two massive, lethal weapons swinging at immeasurable speeds through the air, one after the other, was harrowing and left an empty pit in the Link's stomach. The sight of the two ball-and-chains hurtling through the air in a swift, merciless circle around the massive, towering general was enough to send the fear jolting through every muscle- and as the ground shook and rumbled with every towering step Onox took towards them, it seemed that every part of this enemy would be impossible to defeat.

And yet, they had been given a task- running in a quick and tight group, the three heroes had led Onox to the opposite side of the room, facing off against him while Green and Red kept Veran occupied on the other side. Vio's eyes were wide and yet focused as the three grouped around each other, facing the massive enemy as he continued to slowly approach them, those two deadly and powerful weapons whirling around each other in such quick succession they could barely see the gold armor of the enemy hiding behind them.

"Blue! You've fought him, where's his weakness?" Vio shouted quickly as the three took on fighting stances, taking enough steps back so they could exchange orders before the storm finally hit.

"Any part of his armor!" Blue shouted back, his sword gripped tightly in his hands. "Green already weakened him. And the only opening he gives is when he attacks!"

"Then we're going to have to _give_ him something to attack!" Shadow snapped firmly as he took a step forward, narrowing his eyes.

"Right! Let's go!" Blue shouted, nodding in agreement as he took a step forward-

"No!"

Looking to the side in surprise, Blue did a quick double-take as Vio shouted at him and held his hand out to prevent Blue from moving forward.

The Link shook his head fiercely. "Not you, Blue," he said, his voice serious and firm. "Shadow and I will do it."

Blue's eyes flew open in surprise. "But I-!"

"I know, you've done it before, and you're the stronger one," Vio interrupted through gritted teeth, speaking quickly as he knew their time was short. "But you already took those hits. And Blue, we'll need someone to hit him strong and hard so he won't get back up. You're the _only_ one who can do that!"

Firmly, Shadow nodded. "I agree," he said, looking back at Blue. "You'd be able to strike stronger than any of us could. We'll give you your opening."

The headstrong and stubborn Link once more looked at the others in surprise- but as the rumblings in the ground grew, he swore under his breath, knowing their time was up. "Fine!" he finally snapped, growling as he looked back towards Onox- who by now had almost entirely reached them. He was slow and lumbering due to the two massive, heavy weapons he constantly was swinging around him- but what he lacked in speed, Blue knew he made up for in strength- and defense. Blue grit his teeth. This wasn't going to be easy.

But then again, nothing they ever did was, right? And here they were, fighting the last fight... Despite himself, and despite everything, Blue managed one last wild, bold, and unafraid grin as he nodded to his friends- and, for once, took a step back as he let them take the charge.

"... Go get 'im!"

Infected by his arrogance and enthusiasm, Vio and Shadow couldn't subdue a small smirk as they returned the nod- then, glancing one last time to each other, their faces hardened and serious, the duo wasted no more time as they ran forward, jaws clenched and brows furrowed, towards the approaching, iron-cast demon.

Roaring in fury, hardly thinking so much as he was raging, Onox swung his two massive ball-and-chains around him in his tight circle, still steadily approaching the heroes. He could hardly see where he aimed- but this wasn't a problem, as the moving weapons provided more than enough cover for him, as well as barreling at anything in its path at all times. And yet, when a flash of purple flew past his vision to the side, his eyes darted under his golden mask to match the new target, and his armored wrist was flung to the side as he threw one of his weapons towards his enemy.

Nimbly, Vio leapt out of the way, reading the sights of his opponent's weapon and knowing where to avoid its trajectory. His shield was held firm, however, and he kept on the move- wisely, for as soon as the weapon's target missed, so just as quickly it was drawn back upwards and aimed again, the other one still twirling around him in defense.

And yet-

Onox's eyes widened, and his snarl grew, as a sudden, second presence on the other side suddenly raced around him. This one, a fast-moving, unidentifiable blur of grey and black- and yet, even that was enough, and the hatred and rage once more welled up within the angry demon incarnate. Snarling, growling, and screaming in a guttural fashion, the roars echoing across his metallic, heavy plates of armor, the general shook the ground with another heavy step as he twirled his second weapon, flinging it in the direction of the shadow.

Shadow was not as quick- but he had quite a few more tricks left up his sleeve. With a grin, the Link quickly and deftly slid to the ground- and, in an instant, bursting from his hands and enveloping him in a thick, protective shield came a massive barrier of darkness- almost solid in its magical state, and more than enough to protect him from a grazing hit. The ball-and-chain smashed clean through his shield, but it was still deflected- and, unscathed, Shadow ran out of reach once more, encircling Onox and drawing his attention and ire.

Reduced into an almost bestial-like state, Onox roared as he stomped the ground in fury and frustration, the dark power swirling around him raging higher and stronger and reaching out to the aim of his weapons. The ground shook and the floor cracked beneath him- and, having reached his limit, so the power once more exploded in the villain- and it was all he needed.

His eyes snapped open, and his soul left them- and, in a sudden and fierce explosion of noise and motion, the General of Darkness lunged forward as he once more swung his two ball-and-chains outwards at the two Links encircling him, all his might thrown through his shoulders, channeled through his muscles, backed by the heavy sheets of armor protecting him and flung through his wrists and into his mighty weapons.

The resulting impacts were instantaneous and powerful. Though Vio held up his shield as he braced for the impact, and Shadow did what he could to protect himself, unarmed, from the approaching weapons, both of them knew it would not be enough- and yet, at the same time, each knew they were doing exactly what they had to do. And as the two dual weapons struck both heros at the same time, flinging them across the arena and forcing them on their backs- so came that single, crucial second.

And it belonged to Blue.

Charging in, his sword drawn and held tight in both hands, his eyes narrowed and focused solely on the beast in front of him, Blue ran faster than he'd ever before as he seized the split-second opening that his friends had paid the price for him to get. His eyes burned in the fury and energy of the fight, and adrenaline pumped through his entire body, fueling the fearless and mighty warrior on into the fray. And as he leapt in, past the downed defense of the two ball and chains and to the knight behind the weapons, so he let out a loud and bellowing cry as he brought down his sword as hard and as quickly as he could into the metal of the general.

Blue's sword cut through the General's chest-plate with ease and dug a massive ridge in its metal- sparks flew from the impact, and Blue grit his teeth against the resistance as he held on to his blade until it had finally reached the end of its strike, slicing outwards and out of the metal of the warrior. Landing backwards on his feet, still holding his sword with tightly-clenched, sweating palms, Blue could only take a second to regain his breath-

-But it was still too long.

The second the hero's Four Sword begun its attack upon the General's massive, heavily armored protection, Onox had screamed out in pain, rage, and hatred, nearly frozen as the blade ripped through his golden armor and into the monster beneath. And yet, almost as if time crawled to a standstill, as the blade reached the finality of its strike, Onox's soulless eyes narrowed, his fists clenching and his arms dropping the weight of the two ball-and-chains at his side...

And before Blue could blink, the entire world came crashing down upon him.

Swinging back with all his might, Onox bellowed in agony and demonic hatred as he plowed his fist straight into Blue's chest, all of his pent-up rage and might thrust into that one, terrifying swing. The golden metal of his arm-guards dug into Blue's stomach, the Link's eyes flying wide open in the split-second upon impact, and as the General screamed, shoving his weight into Blue, the force of his swing sent the young hero flying backwards, skidding across the rubble-strewn, harsh ground of the stone floor beneath.

"BLUE!"

Their hearts frozen in their chests, only just having had a few seconds to regain their own breaths at their attacks, Vio and Shadow instantly cried out for their friend as they watched his body sail through the air before them and land forcefully on the stone ground. Instantly, they ran up to him, their eyes wide and their breaths held, kneeling down as soon as they came towards him, ignoring the screams of rage and searing pain from the enemy behind them.

"Blue! Are you okay? Answer me!" Vio shouted as he grabbed Blue's shoulder, harshly shaking the Link.

His eyes weakly fluttered open... the Link groaned as he winced and wrapped an arm around his stomach. He could barely sit up... he squinted his eyes shut and shook his head, forcing himself to get up. Vio and Shadow were quickly at his side- and, with their help, Blue found himself stumbling onto his feet, a bit shaky at first, yet standing nonetheless.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine... d-damn, that hurt," Blue gasped, swearing under his breath as he shook his head, his entire body still shaking from the force of the monstrous impact.

"Did that do it?" Shadow asked quickly, looking back outwards to their opponent. And as Vio and Blue's gaze joined his own, all three sets of eyes grew wider in despair and horror as the massive General, with two deep-set gashes weighing him down, nevertheless slowly standing back up, the golden metal of his armor rattling and bouncing off the harsh sounds of his deep, guttural growls.

"Guess not," Blue growled, wincing once more as he clutched his stomach, yet straightening up best he could anyways and gripping tightly onto his sword once more.

Glaring back at the three Links, the soulless eyes of Onox stared back at them as mere slits, the great knight slightly hunched over as he took a single more step forward, finally straightening up and pulling back his lips into a tight snarl. He had long forgone the two ball-and-chains, lying uselessly in a crumbled, destroyed heap to the side- but as his empty fists suddenly clenched tight together, with a heavy, metallic slicing sound, gripped tightly in each fist was a long, thick, golden blade. An extension of his armor, the two golden, metallic swords were slowly raised in each of the monster's fists- and, as the glint from his empty eyes flashed off the demonic, new weapons in each of his hands, Onox laughed once more time, hollow and empty, before once more advancing upon the three weary heroes.

And as a glint of deadly golden slowly closed in on the three, on the other side, a blazing, threatening wave of orange and red was rapidly barreling towards the two remaining heroes, the heat from the roar of flames already upon them in the seconds before the fire would overtake them.

"Green! Duck!" Red shouted aloud as he took a step forward, instantly throwing his Ice Rod out in front of him, his grip firm and tight, as another wave of ice exploded from the tip of the orb. And yet, this one was different than what Green had seen Red create before- like a dome of ice he'd made before, only this time, the stream of ice was steady and firm, the blue magic continuously floating out of the tip of his weapon and keeping the shield alive, even as the fire rushed over them and began to eat away at the ice protecting the two heroes.

"Don't worry, Green!" Red continued to call out to his injured friend, gritting his teeth as he held onto his weapon, deep in concentration as he struggled to keep the shield going, even as an inferno of fire beat down from all around them. "I won't let her get to us!"

Struggling to his feet, Green had to forgo the moment or two of awe at Red's magic as he snapped back to business, walking up next to Red and looking at him firmly and calmly.

"Red... Now's not the time for defensive!" Green affirmed, shaking his head. "We have to end this! We'll need to take the risk in order to land a blow on her!"

Red bit his lip, fearful and worried at the idea, as he looked back at the shield of ice he continued to hold firm against the steady flow of fire around them. Veran, flying around them, was shrieking as she threw more fire at them, desperately trying to break down their shield and destroy them.

It was then that, upon seeing Veran dancing in the flames around them, lunging towards them only to be pushed back by the ice and throw more fire at them, that Red's eyes widened, an idea surging into his mind.

With a grin, he looked towards Green, giving a nod. "Alright! I... I have an idea! It worked once before... it might work again!"

Smiling, Green gave a firm nod. "I trust you," he said with a grin. "Go for it. Show us all how it's done, Red!"

Beaming and overflowing with such high praise, Red grinned widely at his leader's command, and eagerly nodded, turning once more to face the shield of ice.

"On my mark!" he shouted, his grin growing wider and wider. "Ready! _SET_!"

And, the second in which Veran once more flew up towards them, her eyes narrowed in rage and the fire flying from her fingertips-

"NOW!" Red shouted as he took another step forward, sending another surge of ice magic out through his Ice Rod- and yet, as the magic hit the barrier they formed, so, his eyes cleverly glinting, Red watched as it all unfolded just as he imagined. Their shield exploded- but certainly not inwards. Instead, with each piece of the wall forming instantly into a sharp, powerful icicle, and with another wave of icy magic propelling them forward, their defensive shield suddenly and instantly became an offensive weapon- and, blasting outwards in all direction, the icy magic instantly combated against the fiery hell being wrought outside and around them.

And in the center of it all-

Screeching and screaming in pain, the fire all around her quenched in an instant by the explosion of ice, Veran recoiled back sharply away from the attack, floating as far away from the heroes as she could, writhing and twisting in agony.

Green's jaw had nearly dropped to the ground upon the heavy attack- though, as the fire around them disappeared and Veran retreated, his expression of shock burst into a wide grin, and, laughing, he instantly clapped Red over the shoulder. "Way to go, Red!" he shouted out aloud, grinning.

Nodding back, Red wore his grin back, but also pointed outwards with his free hand. "_Now's_ the time to strike!" he shouted, bold and triumphant, as he looked over at the weakened Veran. He grinned, looking back at Green. "Let's go get 'er!"

Green laughed again, nodding enthusiastically. "You said it, buddy," he replied with a grin just as eager as his friend's, gripping his sword tight. "Cover me!" Without another word, the two heroes burst forward, running over to their weakened enemy.

Though Veran was down, she was certainly not out- and, her eyes blazing as she looked upon her approaching enemies, the witch snarled in rage as she weakly lunged out with an outstretched arm- and, in response to her command, the fires once more burst from the ground beneath them, racing towards the two approaching Links.

And yet, almost as soon as each fire erupted, so there came a sudden and sharp blast of ice, obliterating it in an instant. Green ran onwards, his sword held tight in his hands, as Red, running by his side, kept their path clear. The two narrowed their eyes in victory and achievement as they neared their target, unharmed-

-Screaming once more in rage, not yet to be undone, Veran raised another arm as she prepared to strike- though, reverting back to an unexpected move, snarled as, bursting from her fingertips and aimed straight for the Link in front, a blast of dark, shadow magic came hurtling towards the two.

Green's eyes went wide- and its target was met far before anyone could have prevented it.

Gasping, Green felt himself slugged heavily in the chest by the attack, and, stumbling, fell to his knees. His body was ravaged by the numerous hits- and, shaking, he could hardly move himself to stand, let alone regain the firm grip on his sword...

"GREEN!" Red cried out, suddenly stopping as he turned towards his wounded leader-

"N-No! Get Veran!" Green gasped, shaking his head fiercely, his shaking legs just barely keeping him from collapsing. He looked up at Red urgently. "Go, _now_!-!" Through his pain, he managed a grim smile. "I know you can do it!"

Red hesitated, his eyes growing wide. He... He was to do it? No, he was always the helper, the supportive one, he wasn't the one to... And yet... Green's eyes urged him on, the faith in his friend surging across him and into his smaller friend. Red grit his teeth, nodding seriously in understanding as he gulped past his fears. Without another word, knowing just what he would do- what he HAD to do- the Link quickly and sharply turned away, bolting into a run as he advanced upon their fallen enemy.

He knew there wasn't much time left. The injured Veran looked up at her approaching enemy- and, even facing her death, snarled in vicious hate and rage, her eyes burning and hands clenching tight-

-But it was all for naught.

For, in one final yell, for his leader and for his team, Red ran towards his enemy, his glistening Four Sword carried proudly in his two-handed grasp, and leapt upwards, the glint of his blade catching against the light of the shattered stained glass windows, finally plunged it downwards, carrying with his might all the energy and spirit of his friends.

With a resounding clash, gold met against silver as the mighty Onox quickly closed the distance between him and the three Links, slicing out at them with his two new blades. Blue and Vio, flinging up their swords in defense, met their attacker's blades with their own, holding on tight to their silver swords and pushing against the attack of the other.

Clearing quickly of the sword fight, Shadow had leapt back, clenching his fists and snarling in fury. What could he do? He had no sword of his own...

And yet, as if to answer this, Onox roared in fury as he was shoved back by Vio and Blue's combined efforts, stumbling backwards off-balance- and, without wasting a second, Blue and Vio had jumped backwards, running back up to Shadow and regrouping a safe distance away.

Quickly, out of breath, Blue shouted to the others, "Vio, you and I will have to fight him off! Shadow, think you can land a good blow on him while we've got him distracted?"

Grinning, Shadow cracked his knuckles. "Damn straight I can," he sneered, excitement already building up in him. "He's weakened. One hit oughta do him in!"

Quickly, Vio gave a nod. "Let's do this!" he affirmed loudly to the others, holding up his sword and giving a grim smile.

Giving a quick nod, Shadow once more grinned as he ran off to the side, already starting to sink and blend into the natural shadows of darkness of the room.

Onox, regaining his balance, growled as he took another heavy step towards the two children, raising his two blades. In intimidation, he sliced one against the other, littering the ground with a flurry of bright golden sparks.

And yet, hardly fazed by the show off of power, Blue grinned as he raised an eyebrow at Vio.

"Hey, Vio?"

"Yeah?

"I bet I can take his sword down before you."

"... You're on."

Grinning in excitement, the two friends raised their swords, eyes narrowed in competition, and shouted out as they charged against the massive foe before them.

Sparks once more flew from the two, terrible golden blades of Onox as he sliced them, independent of each other, across towards Vio and Blue. The skill and accuracy of attacks lightly stunned both Links- having only thought of him as a tank, instead of a skilled swordsman- but both heroes were well used to the techniques of sword-fighting, and each took the surprise in stride.

As Onox's long blade sliced over towards Vio in a vertical slash, the wise and calm Link quickly and rapidly parried the blow, swinging his own sword in an upwards motion and jumping quickly to the side as he swung his sword back against his opponent's. He wasted no time in returning a blow of his own, aiming for a high slash overtop the blade. It was met once again with Onox's sword- but quickly, with his grin spreading and the energy of the fight flooding through him, Vio ducked and twisted around in a tight circle, slicing his sword against the other's blade and then using his quick momentum to aim a jab towards Onox's armor.

All while the massive general had been fighting against Vio, so with his other blade he had been trying to hold off Blue. Yet the monster was finding this easier said than done- and, with that wild grin still beaming across his face, the energetic Link had charged strong and bold into the fight, heavily swinging his sword to meet Onox's high in the air. Blue's eyes flashed, and he almost laughed- for as Onox's blade swung to the side and quickly flashed in midair as it sliced back to meet Blue's side, so the Link was already prepared- and one step ahead, ducking beneath the aim of the blade and then popping back up after it had passed slicing it away and aiming for his own attack at the now-open Onox.

Shouting aloud in surprise and anger, the massive General of Darkness, Onox, found himself stumbling backwards in order to avoid the two Links' swords from once again slicing over his golden armor. Blue and Vio, each grinning in their own unique ways, stared down their opponent with narrowed, determined eyes as they held up their swords once again, ready to jump back into the fight at any notice.

With a ferocious snarl, Onox's eyes, narrowed into slits behind his golden mask, burned into the two heroes before him. Once more his jaw parted as he let loose a bellowing, infuriated roar, his clenched, golden-gilded fists raising and his swords crossing in front of him as he prepared to once again charge at the heroes-

And yet, though the monster expected to witness the heroes' faces turning into despair and horror- he certainly was unprepared for looks of surprise and excitement crossing their faces. He snarled, narrowing his eyes and taking a step forward-

A shadow had begun to grow overtop the General's figure, though he had not yet begun to notice it. By the time he had, however, taking a step forward to once more fight the heroes, yet stopping upon seeing the large patch of darkness growing overtop him...

It was already far too late.

In a flash of darkness, burning red eyes, and a wide, triumphant grin, Shadow ran out from behind and from inside the darkness around him, the magic already beginning to swirl menacingly around the general-

And, with a triumphant yell, laughing as he did so, Shadow leapt upwards above the General- and, both his fists coming together, shouted aloud as a massive blast of dark magic, bursting from his fingertips and shooting out in a wide and powerful beam, barreled straight for the monster beneath him. The shadow magic, powerful and endless, continued to stream from Shadow's open palms as they enveloped the General, pulsing and throbbing and twisting around madly as the demonic monster from within screamed and roared in rage and agony. The area of darkness grew around him- until, finally, the last of it draining from the boy's powers, Shadow fell back nimbly against the ground, grinning weakly and looking upon their enemy with triumph.

The screams of Onox were deep and loud, horrendous and twisted- and as they merged with the screams of another, a high-pitched and screeching wail coming from the opposite side of the arena, so the tower was suddenly and instantly plunged into the horrifying sounds, the noise of the two demonic creatures screaming out their deaths flooding the room all around them.

In surprise, as one heard the dying shrieks of the other's enemy, the five Links turned to look towards the others- and, as both Veran and Onox, surrounded in the pulsing, painful darkness, continued to shriek and writhe in pain, so the heroes grinned widely as they ran towards the center, eager to meet back up as a team once again.

"Hey!'

"You guys alright?"

"How'd it go?"

Excitedly, the five Links , after making sure they were all more or less unharmed from their fights, began to ask how the other's fight had gone, and brag about their own blows landed on the enemies. And yet, even as they finished, they each knew their chatter couldn't go on for long- and, grinning in victory, so they turned as a team to look back towards their fallen enemies at the center of the room.

Weakly, the impressive and powerful monsters that had once been Onox and Veran had crawled back to the center of the room, their wounds heavy and their strength draining. The blackness continued to follow them and swarm around them, twisting and pulling- however, the Links noticed strangely, it no longer seemed to be delighted in its owners might, or raging and lending its powers to the two. Instead, as it pulsed and nearly engulfed the two, both Veran and Onox screamed in the pain that was being inflicted upon them.

"What's going on?" Vio asked, growling in confusion as he narrowed his eyes, readying his blade. He didn't like where this was going, and each second longer that Veran and Onox lived was beginning to make him uneasy.

"It's as if the darkness is..." Green began, shaking his head incredulously.

"Rejecting them," Shadow snarled, narrowing his eyes. "This is either very good for us... or very bad..."

"Come on! Aren't they defeated yet?-!" Blue shouted in fury as he turned back from the others to look at their fallen enemies. Snarling, the hero took a step forward, swinging his blade out again. "What, you two want more?-! Then come and get it! We'll _never_ stop fighting!"

"Yeah! Just come and try us!" Red piped up with a large grin as he jumped up and down besides Blue, also holding out his sword. "We're not afraid of you!"

The challenges of the two Links were met only with more screams from the two villains who writhed in pain from the darkness as it swirled over them- and yet, slowly, the Links found themselves taking a step back, blinking in wide-eyed surprise at what was happening. Slowly but surely, the clouds of darkness covering the two villains was growing... in no time at all it had engulfed Veran and Onox entirely, and was continuing to spread...

"Everyone get down!" Shadow roared instantly, his eyes flashing as the darkness spread-

-And yet, in that very instant, everything stopped.

The five heroes were silent as they stared at the suddenly frozen, unmoving cloud of darkness in front of them-

-And in the next instant, the entire world was flipped on its side.

With a single flash of darkness bursting through the room, suddenly, with no warning at all, the dark clouds retreated quickly, and then, just as suddenly, exploded outwards in a massive, powerful blast which shook the entire room and plunged everything into a smoky, blinding pit of darkness, causing the entire room to violently shake, boulders crumbling from the walls and ceilings above and crashing to the ground below.

In almost an instant, Shadow had balled his hand into a fist, shouting aloud as he summoned forth once more a barrier of his own shadow magic, forming into a tight and sturdy dome around the five heroes. The boulders and rubble crashed harmlessly against the shield, falling uselessly onto the ground before them as the Links, huddled together with shields up under the dome, looked out desperately for any signs of what was going on past the explosion of darkness.

Finally, the smoke began to clear... The floor continued to rumble, and the darkness was almost seeming to be blown away...

Frowning, Shadow stood up as his barrier was dissipated, the other Links following suit as they stood and took a step or two forward, looking around them in shock.

The explosion had completely blown off the ceiling and walls of the tower... And a cool, chilly night wind blew in from the outside world around them. Rubble lined the ground, and dark shadows continued to eat away at the corners of the tower... Yet Veran and Onox were no longer in sight.

However-

It wasn't a few seconds after the Links realized this, that another shock soon came to them- this one, much more violent and horrifying than one before.

With a massive creak, a heavy rumble and a thick, deep cracking sound, the Links suddenly found themselves stumbling over the moving ground beneath them... Panicked, their eyes went down to the stone floor of the tower. Beneath the chunks of rubble, heavy, deep cracks were strewn across the entire ground...

Once more, a heavy, crunching sound ripped through the fabric of the night, and horrifying, massive vibrations surged through the ground beneath them...

In an instant, the entire floor had shifted, and, crying aloud, the Links found themselves stumbling, almost falling, to the ground as it began to tilt.

Green's eyes widened as his heart sank in his chest.

_No... it couldn't be..._

And yet, as the five Links looked outside at the world around them, watching as everything began to tilt to the side... They each knew just what was happening.

Trapped on the highest tower of Hyrule Castle, the stone beneath them was starting to give way...

And with another, and final, treacherous and deep cracking sound splitting through the stone beneath them, the tower heaved as it jerked once more to the side, this time with nothing to stop it as it began to tilt, the boulders supporting it cracking and splitting off, plummeting the hundreds of stories down to the ground below, pieces of the structure breaking off as it began to collapse- and finally, the top of the tower itself succumbing to the encroaching destruction, crumbling to pieces and beginning the long and terrifying fall downwards- carrying with it, its five doomed passengers.

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><p><strong>Heh, you read that right!<strong>

**Veran and Onox are seemingly gone, but... The tower is about to collapse... with all five Links still on board!**

**What's going to happen next?**

**Find out in the next installment, Chapter 53, coming by the end of the week! :D **


	53. Catastrophe

**Hello guys! I apologize a hundred times over this is so delayed, and I could list a dozen reasons explaining how life has gotten so hectic for me- but I know you are all eager for the chapter, so I'll save it and hope you guys can understand anyways and forgive me for this being so late. ^^' **

**Anyways, it's time! The wait is over! Chapter 53 has arrived! Hold onto your seats, folks, and let's go! :D**

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-Three:<strong> Catastrophe

* * *

><p>Already as the ground began to move, chunks of rock were being torn away from the central pillar, the cracks slicing through the heavy stone and concrete and tearing apart the tower piece by piece. The ground was no longer stable- and as it broke apart from all sides, it begun to tip, twist, and turn, starting to crumble to the ground.<p>

And on its top, hundreds of feet above the ground below, stood the five Links, as best they could on the shaky ground, their eyes wide and their hearts frozen.

Finally, one found his voice.

"Guys! Stay close together!" Green shouted, choking past a heavy knot which had formed in his throat. Sword and shield had long been sheathed and he looked around him in quick, wide-eyed panic, wondering what they were going to do- there was no way down, or out, of the collapsing tower. His heart caught in his throat when he knew the inevitable- they were going to fall along with it.

"Ahh-!"

Instantly, the four Links whirled around at the sound of the shout- and though it seemed their eyes couldn't grow wider, so they did in the horror of what they saw.

Beneath Red, the ground had given way, and he found the cracks splitting around him- the cement floor cracked and split, breaking off from the tower as it began to plunge down, with the terrified Link still upon it and crying out for the others.

Without hesitation, the heroes turned and tried to run forward to catch their friend. And as Vio reached the other Link, shoving him out of the way as the two landed harshly upon rock that, while shaky, had yet to break off… The other three were not so lucky.

Though Blue and Green leapt as one to try and save their friend, the ground beneath them no longer could remain stable as the rest of the tower began to collapse- and as it cracked and gave way, jerking horribly to the side, the Links found themselves stumbling and gasping as they fell harshly to the unstable stone beneath. And Shadow, though nimbly jumping over the cracks and the stone, eventually made his way towards Vio and Red, extending out an arm as he helped the two up- so the ground continued to rumble and thrash, move and shake, until it finally became no more for the tower to bear.

And as the floor of the massive arena room finally split in half, a terrifying cracking sound splitting through the night as the two chunks slowly yet steadily began to tip, the rumble of the falling, breaking off concrete growing louder and louder by the second…

In an instant, in their darkest moment as the tower finally came crumbling down…

Bursting past all the rumbling and cracking of the tower, and slicing through the darkness of the night and their despair, so came a brilliant, powerful shaft of light from out of the darkness, slicing down towards the tower. And, surrounded in that light, flying over the broken pieces of the tower, came the sight which drew the heroes' eyes- and made their hearts skip in a second's glimpse of hope.

_"KAEPORA!-!-!"_

Bathed in the light around him, the great owl, his wings spread out wide as he soared around the crumbling tower, flew quickly towards the heroes, his gaze unwavering and fierce.

"Heroes! _Follow my guide!_" the owl hooted out loudly as he soared quickly just over the heads of the Links, weaving in and out between the rocks as he flew, alongside them, in the midst of the collapsing tower.

Struggling to keep his footing on a chunk of stone that was starting to slip, Green grit his teeth as his eyes darted from side to side, desperately trying to come up with anything to save his friends. The gleam of light shot out from behind him and he turned quickly to watch Kaepora's flight trail in front of him, over and under the falling boulders. His eyes widened in understanding.

"Everyone, follow after Kaepora!" Green shouted as loud as he could, hoping his voice could reach the separated Vio, Shadow, and Red on the now-opposite side of the collapsing tower. The leader held his breath as he looked after the owl- desperately hoping their friend, their guide, would be able to save them. With a quick nod towards Blue, who was getting to his feet next to his leader, Green turned and quickly, without any further hesitation as he put his trust into their guide, leapt across the falling boulders near them in the direction Kaepora had flown. Blue, clenching his jaw and fists tight, followed quickly after as the two heroes desperately leapt from falling boulder to chunk of tumbling, cracking, twisting concrete, desperately trying to keep their footing in the collapsing tower among them.

On the other side of the collapsing, thousands of tons of falling concrete, Red was just being helped to his feet by Vio and Shadow as the rock continued to break, twist, and pull under their feet. Already they had begun to plummet along with the broken tower- and, desperately trying to keep their footing on what pieces of rock still able to serve as footholds, the three Links found themselves jumping off their current rock to another close by.

And yet, as the gleam of light flew past them, their eyes widened as they were drawn to the great owl, watching him in the briefest of seconds as he flew over their heads, the light leaving a clear trail cut through the darkness in front of them. Green's shout came loud to them, and, gritting their teeth and preparing themselves, the three heroes looked one last time at each other, saying nothing, as they each knew what to do.

Afraid, Red grasped onto Vio's arm, taking a quivering step backwards and looking down in wide-eyed terror at the path they had to take- leaping across the falling boulders, the wind whipping up from all around them as they fell along with the tower, the ground constantly cracking and splitting into smaller chunks which spun as they fell, knocking against other boulders and shattering as they plunged downwards through the darkness and to the far-away ground below.

A crack dug in the ground beneath them, Red's eyes flew open wide-

And in an instant, Red looked to the side in surprise.

Grasping Red's hand tight in his own, Shadow looked down at the smaller hero, giving a firm, determined nod. No words were said- but none were needed to; Red saw it all in his friend's eyes. Red's throat tightened up as he looked up in renewed faith at his friend- and, as the three looked at one another one more time, each exchanging nods of understanding and readiness, so they turned towards the trail of light Kaepora had left for them, the wind whipping them from above and the empty sky all around them and below them looking up as they leapt across their broken, plummeting boulder to the next, and the one after that, leaping and jumping underneath one over the other, not for a moment stopping to rest.

The owl continued to dive in and out of the falling, plummeting wreckage that had once been the castle's tallest tower, weaving in and out of the boulders, precariously avoiding each one as they turned and twisted, falling into other pieces and breaking off into more chunks which continued to plunge downwards. And right on the trail of his guiding light, following without hesitation nor fear the light laid before them, the five Links ran amidst the collapsing mass of rubble, their hearts pounding and their eyes wide and focused on each step before them.

It was like nothing they had ever done- the wind buffeted them from all sides, the speed of their downward fall hindered their leaps from boulder to boulder, and always they were jumping, running, turning, moving, dodging a falling slab of concrete above them or leaping over a crack in the rocks below. The darkness was no help- blinded by what they couldn't see, it only made things worse for the heroes as they were unable to see the rocks falling around them, the rest of the tower breaking apart into smaller and smaller chunks of concrete as it continued its plunge… And yet, bursting through the darkness was the light trailing the great owl, leaving a brilliant, glowing trail through which the Links could follow.

The ground was quickly rushing up to meet them- even in the pitch black darkness of the night around them, and with the trail of light ahead which they followed, Green could see the ground growing in size as they continued to fall. He tried to keep his thoughts calm and collected as he continued running across the boulders, Blue by his side and Kaepora's trail only a few feet in front of them, but his heart continued to pound, as he knew the inevitable would soon happen- they may have been risking and dodging death every second that they leapt and fell down along with the tower, but once they hit the ground…

Shadow grit his teeth as he leapt over a passing slab of concrete, turning quickly to the side as he helped Red stumble forwards and onto the next platform. Vio shouted aloud to them as he ran forward, marking the path for them set by Kaepora and keeping one step ahead of the plan. The Link's red eyes, glowing through the darkness and brightened by the yellow, bright light set by their guide, widened in growing shock as he glanced downwards to the growing, approaching ground below. Quickly, he clenched his teeth, taking in a sharp gasp of air as he realized just what they meant. Soon they would reach the ground- and even if they would survive the impact of falling, then there would also be the danger of the various other parts of the tower falling all around them and crushing them.

And all too quickly, it was over.

Shouting aloud, leaping forward in all his wild and unchained spirit, Blue ran the last sprint forward, charging ahead as he met the end of their fall, defying the entire world as he ran to meet the conclusion. The boulders slammed heavily on the ground, pounding into smoke-filled explosions as they hit against the ground below, some sticking firmly into the dirt by the impact and others shattering into trillions of rocks by the force of the fall. Guided by the light of their friend, the Links ran forward to the end- and as Blue hit the ground, the light slicing upwards and around him as he landed, so he quickly tumbled into a quick and efficient roll, grunting and gasping as the ground pummeled him from all sides- and finally, skidding to a stop amongst the dirt and rocks and rubble.

Hot on his heels, Green shouted aloud as, following the light of their guide and the drive of their spirit, he ran after Blue, leaping off the crumbling chunks of tower for the final time, his feet aimed for the solid and unmoving ground. And yet, even as they finally made contact with the ground, so he knew his trials were not over- and, gasping sharply, did as he saw Blue do and tuck into a sharp roll, allowing his momentum to carry him forward until even he could no longer control himself, and found him stumbling and falling, sliding and jerking across the uneven, rocky and damaged ground, pummeled by the sharp and unforgiving impacts from all directions.

Lastly, as the three Links watched the other two land on the ground, with Kaepora's light guiding their way to the descent, so each of them braced themselves as they continued running and leaping over the boulders and slabs of broken, mangled concrete, ready and determined to finish the terrifying, trying ordeal.

Vio's eyes were firm and narrowed as he burst ahead of the others, quickly scanning everything around them as he desperately hoped to find a place they could fall and not be harmed by the massive, egregious amounts of rubble which had already plummeted to the ground, and those which were still falling above them, ready to hit them from above at any second. Finally, gasping sharply and letting his feet leave the rock beneath him, Vio jumped outwards- and, with thinking far abandoned in place of action, rolled forward onto the ground, trying to keep on his feet- yet, ultimately, failing as the ground shook and heaved with the impact of a massive boulder slamming down only inches away from his fallen form.

Red held his breath, his eyes wide as he watched Vio run off the last boulder and roll to the ground. He and Shadow were next- and, gritting his teeth, holding his breath as he forced past his fears, running after his friend. They were nearing the end of the leap- and, at the last second, on his own power and bravery, Red jumped ahead, shouting out aloud as he saw the massive slab of concrete landing dangerously close to Vio. His heart pounded in his chest- and, as soon as he hit the ground, found himself rolling and tumbling with his forward momentum- but, refusing to give up or stop, quickly righted himself on the ground as he continued running towards Vio, his eyes wide.

Following a little behind the others as he made sure not to come too close to the light which he followed, Shadow's red, narrowed eyes kept focused on the others as he made sure they came to a safe stop on the ground. And then, an instant later, as Red made the jump, he saw the massive boulder from above slamming down on the ground beside them, nearly striking Vio… Red was running after him, but he couldn't see the shadow of darkness, in the already dark of night, growing overtop both him and Vio… Eyes wide, Shadow's breath froze in his chest- and, abandoning all thought of himself, yelled aloud as he ran over the falling and crumbling slabs of concrete and rock all around him, leaping over the edge and racing towards the two.

Gasping as he finally came to a stop, Green groaned as he shook his head, his thoughts swimming dizzily around in his head, and placing his bleeding, scratched palms on the ground as he hoisted himself back up to stand. The air around him was thick and heavy with the smoke of the destroyed tower, and the ground still shook in occasional quakes as more and more boulders slammed down all around them. His heart was still pounding- it wasn't safe here, they could be crushed at any minute, he has to find the others- quickly, he looked around, desperate to catch a glimpse of the others, calling out loudly above the roar of the collapsing tower for the others.

Blue shouted aloud in surprise as he quickly scrambled to his feet, jumping to the side just to avoid a boulder as it slammed down against the ground where he had just fallen. Smoke and debris were flying everywhere, the darkness was choking and he couldn't see Kaepora's light anymore- and yet, pushing through all this, he kept his mouth in a tightly-set, determined snarl, looking fiercely around for any sign of the others. His heart froze when he suddenly heard Green's voice calling- and quickly, looked to the side where it was coming from- his eyes widened, and his heart sank.

"GREEN!_ GET DOWN!-!-!-!_"

The scream burst from his mouth louder than even he expected, and, his eyes wide and frantic, Blue found himself bolting forwards towards his leader, praying that he would make it to his friend before the rock falling down above him did first.

And as Blue ran towards Green, so Shadow was sprinting as fast as he could over the broken, mangled ground beneath him towards the others, watching the shadow of the massive boulder growing over the both of them as Red tried to help Vio to his feet… And, shouting aloud as he finally reached them, instantly jumped in front of them as he slid to his knees, slamming both his fists firmly on the ground and creating in an instant a massive, powerful barrier of shadow magic around the two- and seconds later, so the massive chunk of the tower slammed over the trio, covering them entirely from sight.

Reaching his leader, Blue shouted aloud as he wasted not a second more, running heavily into Green as he shoved him aside, the two Links falling to the ground as, a split second later, so the ground beneath them shook and moved with the heavy impact of a gigantic slab of concrete and stone crashing into the ground beside them.

And finally, as the massive impact shook the ground and the smoke began to billow… everything began to quiet down.

A few rumbles here and there were enough to tell the Links that some stones were still falling and breaking apart as they struck the ground- but as silence finally descended over the rubble-strewn, destroyed castle tower, the impacts became less and less until finally, in the thick of the smoke and the night, it was silent.

Silent, that is, except for the slight groans coming from the two Links as they each struggled to their feet, weak and dizzy, exhausted and bruised- but not yet broken. Regaining their breath and calming down, the two Links took deep breaths as they looked at the rubble-strewn destruction around them.

Giving a weak smile, Green looked over at Blue, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving a short, small laugh. "Thanks, Blue… I guess I'd be a pancake right now if it weren't for you."

Responding with a battered, though still energetic, grin of his own, Blue nodded, returning the laugh as he said, "Well, I figured since pancakes don't make good leaders, it'd probably be best to keep that from happening."

Green gave a short, grim laugh, shaking his head at Blue's joke. However, it lifted the mood just enough for the two, still grateful to have come out of the mess alive, and silently, they looked out amongst the destruction, quickly climbing over the rubble and calling out for the others, their voices loud and clear over the calm, silence of the aftermath of the tower's collapse.

And just when the two of them began to look at each other, wide-eyed with their hearts sinking at the growing fear that they would not find them-

With a rumbling noise alerting their attention from the side, Blue and Green's eyes were instantly diverted to the side as, upon catching sound of the movement and then sight of it, the two watched with lifting hearts the scene unfolding before them.

A massive, half-destroyed slab of concrete, lying broken on its side over the ground, was beginning to move in jerky motions, as if being pushed from underneath- and then, with a final upheaval, the massive stone leaned to the side, eventually forced with such might that it toppled over to the side, revealing the once-trapped heroes beneath it. Gasping, Shadow staggered back a step as he recovered from pushing the boulder off of them, and Vio, whose shield was held over his and Red's head, slowly lowered his shield and moved to stand, helping the smaller Link back up on his feet.

"Vio! Shadow! Red! Guys, you're okay!"

Jubilant and excited, the two Links eagerly ran up to their friends, leaping across the strewn rubble around them and ignoring the destruction wrought around them, instead, for the moment, grateful they were all still alive.

Instantly, Red's eyes widened and his grin grew upon seeing the others running up. Names were called all around, smiles exchanged and laughter shared as the five Links regrouped once again, eagerly talking and bubbling with excitement.

And above them, glistening across the sky in a golden light, came the faint, melodic call of an owl- with wide grins, the four Links looked up, just in time to see the brilliant, yellow light slowly fading away as the great owl Kaepora, his job complete, fading away into the night.

"Thank you, Kaepora!" Red called out with a bright grin, jumping up and down and waving. "We couldn't have done it without you!"

The tension and fear of the moment broken, Blue grinned at his friends, laughing as he said, "We DID it, guys! We beat 'em! It's over!"

"Yeah!" Red cheered, grinning as he clung to Blue's arm. "We've won!"

Even Green and Vio, grinning from the infectious excitement, grinned as they looked back at the others, smiling and nodding. Chuckling, Vio crossed his arms, satisfied, as he spoke.

"It really does seem that way... it's been a hard fight, but we-"

"... No."

Blinking in surprise, abruptly halted from their excitement, the Links turned to look at the calm and quiet voice which had spoken opposite their own excited, relieved words.

Standing a few feet away from the others, his backs to them and his arms crossed as he looked over the rubble-strewn ruins of the castle, Shadow frowned as he calmly and quietly repeated what he had said.

"This... this is still not yet over. I'm sure of it."

Surprised, Green looked at the others- then, quickly, frowned as he walked up to his friend, putting a hand on his shoulder and looking confusedly at him. "What do you mean, Shadow?" he pressed, looking worriedly back to the others, then back at Shadow. "What do you know about all this, anyways?"

The Link closed his eyes in pain, looking away.

"Wait... have you known about this all along?" Blue suddenly said, blinking and frowning in mild surprise and anger. "About their power and everything?"

Frowning, Shadow turned to look back towards them, his eyes cold and calm, yet despondent and fraught with shame.

"I've had my suspicions... but that last battle confirmed it. I... I was a fool for not noticing it before. I'm sorry."

Once more, the Links looked back at each other in doubt.

"But, Shadow, they're gone," Red insisted, trying to smile. "It's over. They're-"

"No, they're not," Shadow insisted, shaking his head and looking back out suspiciously across the rubble. "And you guys should know this more than anyone else. We need to stay on our guard."

This time, it was Vio's turn to speak in surprise. "What makes you say that?" he commented.

Shadow grit his teeth as he looked away. "Because... while Veran and Onox may be something different... you've fought this _power_ before. All of us have." He closed his eyes once more, looking away from the shocked and confused glances of his friends- but, upon opening them, looked once more across the ruins of Hyrule Castle.

"After all... the power of a God... good or bad, can never truly die."

There was a stunned silence between the Links.

"The power of... a God...?"

"Shadow, what does that-"

"You don't really mean-"

"But... but that's-"

The four Links, looking at each other in resistance and confusion, shook their heads and each tried to speak back to Shadow- but, cut off in an instant, each of them found themselves suddenly stopping mid-sentence, eyes wide and hearts frozen at what had interrupted them.

A low rumble had shaken through the ground, and amongst the pile of massive, broken and twisted stones, something had begun to move. The ground moved once more beneath them as an impact, deep and heavy, shook the ground, the rocks around them beginning to shift and fall by the vibrations.

Shadow swore under his breath, a pit beginning to form in the depths of his stomach as he looked around, wide-eyed. "Just like last time..." he breathed, looking around them in apprehension. "It's happening... all over again..."

"Shadow, what is going on here?-!" Green finally shouted, nearly losing his cool as he looked to their friend in worry, shock, confusion, and surprise. "_What's_ happening? What power is this?-!"

Shadow did not answer- he did not need to.

Something else answered before him.

The explosion which tore through the rubble-strewn ruins of the castle tower was unlike any the Links had ever experienced before. Massive chunks of what had once been the castle's walls were blasted into trillions of pieces in an instant, thrown in all directions as an enormous tremor was sent pulsing through the grounds, shaking everything in a sudden, violent, and terrible upheaval. The Links, caught off-guard and unable to keep their feet in the incredible and instant shifting of the ground, cried aloud as they fell harshly to the ground- and, their eyes wide in absolute terror, they could only watch as their worst nightmares crept out of the darkness surrounding them.

As if clawing through the depths of hell itself to get to them, pushing aside gigantic mounds of ground as they climbed to their feet, terrible roars and shrieks slicing through the air all around them, two massive, demonic, monstrous figures, blackened by the shades of night, slowly began to rise out of the rubble, one set of eyes a piercing, burning purple- the other, a hateful, bloody red. Their figures, drenched in black darkness, pulsed and throbbed as they grew to their titanic heights, gazing down in raw, unbridled fury at the destruction wrought beneath them.

When the shadows had finally cleared, the ground still rumbling- as if trembling in fright from the very abominations which towered over it- the two figures, one emitting a terrible, deep growling sound and the other a high-pitched, screeching shriek, took their colossal steps forward into the sight of the Links.

In a flash of terrible light, the golden scales off his titanic body glistening horribly through the darkness, the massive creature lifted its head high, those pair of demonic, red eyes looking down fiercely upon the children below it. Slowly, its jaw began to open as its two leathery, blackened wings strapped to its back unfurled, spreading out wide across either side of the beast. The two massive, golden fangs protruding from its jowls pointed skywards as the monster's wings beat against the wind, its heavy, snake-like body trailing after it as it slid across the ground behind it. Harsh, yellow-tinted claws slammed across a rock of concrete as the monster hoisted itself upwards across the destruction, flashing off a golden underbelly of thick, armor-plated scales and titanic, sharpened spikes running down the back of its neck all the way to the tip of its tail.

Tilting the two golden horns atop its head backwards, its wings once more continuing to lash out against the air around it, just barely supporting the massive weight of its serpentine form, the mighty and terrifying Dark Dragon, Onox, reared back his head as his jaws burst open, his throat rattling as he bellowed out a horrendous, bone-rattling roar which shook the foundations of the earth itself and sent vibrations through the tense, horrifying air all around it. Nearly a quarter of the size the tower had once been before its demise, the horrific beast rose to its full height as its wings successfully carried its form off the ground, and, its neck hunching and arcing over to stare down hungrily at the children below, the dragon once more parted its jaws and roared out in pure, unbridled power and rage.

There was not a second longer to react before Onox's roar was met, and surpassed, by a blood-curdling, horrendous screech, slicing through the heavy thickness of the air and sending shivers down the heroes' spines. Nearby, a pile of rubble was instantly shattered into pieces as a heavy impact from above slammed down upon it, piercing it and cleaving it clean through its center, using the new foothold to support its weight as it crawled out of the depths of hell and walked over the rubble, standing on all of its long, hideous, eight legs and lifting its body high above the wreckage beneath.

The six pincers affixed to the monster's jowls wiggled and squirmed in twisted delight as the creature shrieked again, taking more steps forward as the massive arachnid creature, adorned with horrendous and terrifying streaks of black and grey, set its soulless, purple gaze upon the four heroes below. And when they became in its sights… screeching and screaming in delight and horror, the harrowing and nightmarish Shadow Spider, Veran, rising to nearly half the size of the dragon beside her, towered over the wreckage and slowly advanced hungrily upon the Links, each of her legs slamming viciously upon the ground, one after the other.

It took a moment for the Links to remember to breathe- and when they had found their breaths returning to them in sharp, panicked gasps, their eyes wide, each of them quickly and hurriedly struggled to get back onto their feet, quickly grabbing onto their swords and shields and backing up into a tight group once again, though unable to tear their eyes away from the two demonic, impossible sights before them.

Gritting his teeth so forcefully his jaw ached, Shadow looked up at the two demonic forms as a knot choked in his throat. "The power… of the God of Darkness…"

"That's… Veran and Onox…?" Green stuttered to find his voice, his jaw dropped down as he kept close to the others, his eyes still fixated on the horrible dual demons which were swiftly approaching them, climbing over the wreckage and the ruins to reach their targets.

"N-no time left!" Blue shouted out, his eyes wide and his jaw clenched as he stumbled backwards, holding up his sword and shield, yet unable to stop the quickly-advancing monstrosities before them. Time raced past them, and the Links found themselves frozen in their tracks, looking up in stunned, heart-stopping horror as the end drew close to the five small, battered heroes-

And in the instant before the darkness finally closed in on the children, all that could be seen was a brilliant flash of light- and, following it, a brilliant slicing sound which cut through the air between the heroes and the demons, trailed along after the form of a magnificent, swiftly-soaring great bird. Doused in the golden and holy light of his creator and master, Kaepora, the magnificent owl and Guardian of the Four Sword Heroes, dove swiftly in between the two heroes, a trail of light blazing beautifully behind his trail and leaving a massive, glowing barrier of light in between the caught children and the demonic monsters before them.

Veran and Onox, no longer the sentient beings from before but instead twisted by the dark magic which possessed them and disfigured into their horrible, bestial forms, screamed as they rammed into the wall of light, only to fall backwards in an instantaneous, explosive reaction, the wall reacting instantly to the touch of darkness and repelling it sharply backwards. The wide eyes of the heroes trailed after Kaepora as he continued his flight around the heroes, protecting them by the barrier of light which sprung from the tips of his wings.

And when the barrier finally closed around the Links, so the light faded from the bird- and, protected behind the wall of light, the Links could only watch as the magnificent owl of light faded from their view- and though they called out his name, no return came.

The roars and screams of both Veran and Onox continued to pound away at the heroes from all sides as, desperate, the monstrosities, towering over the heroes, slammed their forms over and over again upon the shield of light formed around the heroes. Wide-eyed, the Links could only watch as the beasts' efforts proved unsuccessful- yet, seeing the darkness shrouding them slowly began to eat away at the light, knew their time was limited. They had been given a few precious minutes' worth of protection- and though they knew not at what cost it came, it was certain to them that it would not last very long.

Spellbound, still horrified by the appearance and attack of the monstrosities, the Links, still slightly shaky from the close encounter, found themselves finally able to break the silence in between the roars and screams of the demons.

"It's… just like Ganon," Vio breathed incredulously, shaking his head as he stared at the demonic, feral and blackened beings which continued to thrash away at the wall of light before them, desperate to claw and tear at the heroes beneath.

"Is IS Ganon," Blue snarled, his eyes narrowing as he finally understood, clenching his teeth as he swallowed away the fear and worry from what had just occurred. "Just like last time, when he gave all his power to Ganondorf… he was just a pawn… Just like Veran and Onox are now…"

"A vessel for their power," Shadow said, his jaw still tightly clenched as he gave a grim nod. His eyes trailed outside the wall of light as he desperately searched for a friend… but in the darkness, nothing else could be seen, and, reluctantly, he bit his lip, looking back at the two monsters ahead. "_Two_ vessels… which are now entirely filled with the power of the God of Darkness."

It all made sense to them, now. How Veran and Onox had come across the power of the God of Darkness, they may never know. For all the Links had known, they thought his powers had been sealed away in their own swords- and yet, despite this, it had found its way into two new servants- and when they failed to defeat the heroes… The God of Darkness, Ganon himself was taking over, transforming his two pawns into these monsters in order to finally bring about his horrible vengeance.

"Wh-what are we going to do now?" Red cried aloud as he, too, took steps closer to his friends, raising his shield with a shaky arm, also unable to tear his eyes away from the two terrifying sights before them.

"… We _fight_. Just like we've always done."

Green's answer, though his words shaky as he tried to calm his breath, were firm and quiet as he spoke to his friends, keeping his fierce and hardened eyes narrowed, his sights set not fearfully, but rather determinedly on the two enemies before them. His friends looked towards their leader, the light from the barrier around them glowing radiantly over each one of them- and, returning their gazes, Green set his jaw into a grim frown.

"We've defeated the power of a God before… We can do it again. I believe we can- no, I KNOW we can."

Shadow's eyes blinked in surprise as he looked towards Green. His words… they reminded him of something he'd been told once, by an old friend… The memory resurfaced and he frowned, looking down at the ground in thought, recent events tugging at the threads in his chest.

Slowly, their courage rebuilt, the Links returned the nod and firm gaze of their leader.

"I'll go to hell and back if I have to," Blue growled, holding up his sword as a warm wave of determination and spirit rose up in his chest, "But I will NEVER back down." His fierce gaze burned into the others, alighting the fires within their own spirits with his ever-constant and strong drive and motivation. And just as it had always been- so that ever-faithful grin spread across his face in eager anticipation of the battle ahead.

"Nor I," Vio's voice answered quickly, his voice as calm as it always was- yet with a burning, fierce spirit behind his words. He took a slow, deep breath- but, clenching his jaw and fists tight, the bravery of the hero willing him on, he narrowed his eyes, knowing and ready to dive into battle for what he believed in- for what he knew was right. "We will not fail- of this, I am _certain_."

"All of Hyrule's counting on us, right now." Red's words came almost as a whisper as he turned his eyes back towards the barrier of light which separated the heroes from the two raging monsters behind it- yet not for long, as already, tears and breaks were beginning to appear in the fabric of the light. The Links turned their eyes on their small friend- and, when he looked back at them, despite all the horrors and pains they had gone through… a small smile was on his face. "I… I just _know_ we'll pull through."

A smile had been growing on Shadow's face as his friends spoke- and by the time they had all spoken, he'd hardly noticed it, but instead found himself smirking as he spoke last, and the most encouraging of them all, to his team.

"A wise friend once told me… the light always shines the brightest in the dark."

The Links were quiet as they looked at him- and, returning their looks of determination, Shadow gave a fanged, confident grin, crossing his arms smugly.

"… So, let's prove him right. Let's show these demons the _true_ power of light!"

And as the light from the barrier, though breaking down, shone upon the five heroes in brilliant flashes and bursts, their hearts lifted from the words and encouragements of one another and their faith restored through the determination of the hero within, the five children once more looked at one another, calm and assured smiles spreading across their youthful, though battered and bruised, faces. Each of them gave a calm nod to their friends as they then turned to face towards their destiny- facing the charging, screaming, ramming beasts, they each turned their sights upwards to the monstrosities, unafraid and undaunted by the rage which was close to all but obliterating what little protection they had left.

Green spoke- taking a deep breath, narrowing his eyes and lifting his sword, he clenched his jaw tight as he looked in fierce, relentless determination at their enemies.

"For Hyrule…"

His bright, energetic eyes also narrowed in drive, Red took a step next to his leader, confident and assured, as he lifted his blade, joining it beside its brother.

"For Zelda…"

Vio grit his teeth, his grip tightening around his sword as he, too, joined his friends, taking a step forward, through the roars and bellows of the beast, lifting his weapon high.

"For the Light…"

A deep breath passed through his chest as his chin tilted upwards, his wild, defiant eyes piercing through their falling shield to the enemies behind it. Gnashing his teeth together in unbridled drive, Blue stepped forward, thrusting his sword high in the air alongside his friends.

"For the Kingdom…"

Lastly, setting his grim smirk into a tightened, gnarled sneer, Shadow stepped forward beside the others- though he held no blade of his own, the dark magic he wielded began to grow around his clenched fists as he stood next to the others, looking upon the disintegrating shield, the furious monsters behind it, and his decision before him.

"…And for _each other_."

Finally, the light shining upon the faces of the heroes began to break down, darkness seeping in and the roars of the triumphant beasts blasting through the wall and past the heroes. And yet, despite the loss of their shield, the heroes remained standing firm against the threat- ready to face the darkness head-on and end it, as friends and as a team, as messengers of light and defenders of good… once and for all.

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><p><strong>The final battle has arrived. I hope you guys expected no less from me- we've finally learned everything we need to know about our two villains, and now, in their final forms, it's time for the darkness to finally face off against the light, in the epic boss battle to end all epic boss battles!<strong>

**Will good prevail over evil?**

**Find out... er... soon. ^^ As soon as I possibly can, promise. Hopefully no longer than a week! Keep your eyes peeled for it! We're THIS close to the end!**

**P.S. Heh... didn't think I'd let you all go without a surprise, now, did you? ;3**

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**As I've always said... enjoy! :D**


	54. War

**-deep breath-**

**Okay… wow. Hi everyone. x) Been a while… hasn't it?**

**To cut right to the chase: Around November last year, I said I had been diagnosed with a medical condition and that I wasn't sure when I'd be able to finish the fix. Well, I'm still struggling to cope with the big changes in my life, and everything else, unfortunately including this fic, has come second. However, I must also admit that there have been times that I could have been working on the last two chapters you all have been waiting so patiently for- and I apologize a thousand times over that it's taken so long. All you readers have been so wonderfully patient and I couldn't ask for a better set of readers/reviewers. However… I DID make a promise to you all. I said I would finish it… And I have.**

**In summary… tldr; I'm very sorry this has taken so long, but it's finally here. :) Questions will finally be answered… strengths and friendships will be tested, and the final confrontation between light and dark will ensue. It's slightly longer than a typical chapter, but nothing crazy like Reiteration, I promise. P:**

**Please enjoy the final two chapters of my fic, The Four Swords: Reminiscence. **

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-Four:<strong> War

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><p>In one colossal, ear-splitting and ground-shaking explosion, the barrier of light which had so bravely protected the five young heroes shattered, its shards of yellow light glistening like glass as they were flung in all directions from the heavy forces which blasted pasts its defenses, destroying the barrier and leaving nothing behind. Hungry and mad for power, destruction, and vengeance, the two monsters, the Dark Dragon Onox and the Shadow Spider Veran, reborn and disfigured through the horrible powers of Darkness, lunged forward, their eyes burning with malice and a maddened glee, as they aimed their sights upon the Heroes beneath them.<p>

"MOVE!" The roar came loudly from the center of the group, his voice sharp and quick, commanding and relentless. Green's order did not go unheeded- and, in a split second, the five heroes on the ground all quickly snapped into action, leaping off to the side as they quickly divided in two, one half running off to one side and the other to the opposite as they made to escape the initial attack of the two monstrosities they now faced. The two monsters, screaming and enraged in their initial attack, barreled forward past the long-gone an destroyed barrier of light, nearly colliding into each other as they slammed upon the now-empty grown before them.

The ground shook and rumbled, plumes of dust shooting up from the dirt beneath, as the two monstrosities struck the ground where, only seconds before, the five heroes had stood before them. Nearly entangled upon one another in the poorly coordinated and power-hungry lunge, Veran and Onox, roaring and screeching in fury and hate, struggled, their bodies as large as they were, to stand once again and turn to face where the heroes had gone now.

Yet, the five children were much quicker on their feet than the two giants before them- and already, running quickly around their attackers, they had met once again in a group, turning to face their opponent's back.

The fight had begun.

"We need a strategy," Green gasped, his chest heaving and panting in exhaustion from the quick and sudden burst he and the others'd had to put on in order to escape the initial lunge of the two demonic creatures. "We don't have much time," he added quickly, clenching his jaw as he looked past his team to the monstrosities before them. In seconds they would be up and turning around, lunging back towards them and-

"I can sense their weak points," Shadow snapped quickly, turning his fierce, red eyes from each of the other Links, eventually settling them upon their leader. Instantly, the others turned to look at the child of darkness as he growled, narrowing his eyes, his face covered in dirt and scratches from the rubble-strewn battleground, "Veran's eyes, right behind her pincers... And the gem on Onox's forehead."

Quickly catching on, his eyes wide, Blue nodded as he added hurriedly, "Get past her teeth and get up to Onox's head, and we have a chance!"

Without hesitating a second longer, knowing their time precious short, Green shot a look towards Vio. Now, more than ever... He needed his friend's brilliance.

And the young Link, as if sensing the great responsibility on his shoulders, gave a calm and solemn nod, looking past them once towards the beasts, who were screaming, roaring, and shrieking as they lumbered to their feet. Vio's eyes narrowed slowly- and, snapping quickly, he said calmly, yet with an urgency to his voice, to the others, "They're working together. It must be Ganon's single power controlling them. This won't be like last time- our only chance is to keep them separate, attack them in two groups."

Instantly, Red gave a nod, stepping forward. "What groups, Vio?" he insisted quickly, looking over his shoulder once, his eyes growing wide, as the two monsters, now on their feet, roared and screamed as they began to turn around. His sweaty grip on the hilt of his blade tightened... They were running out of time...!

Narrowing his eyes and speaking quickly and shortly, lifting his blade as he sensed their time ending soon, Vio quickly snapped, "Blue, Red, and I will go after Onox. Shadow and Green, you two need to get past Veran's pincers and-"

"No time left!" Shadow suddenly roared, jumping forward to the center of the group, his wide, red eyes looking up furiously at the sight before them. "Just do it! Now!" he shouted- and as all the Links turned quickly to where he was looking, their eyes widened and their hearts sank- as Shadow had said, their time had run out.

Breaking themselves free from each other and regaining their own balance, Onox resting on his large serpentine tail and his upper half supported by his two massive wings, and Veran towering high over the rubble with her eight horrendous legs, the two monstrosities once more faced the five, grouped children, their eyes burning in an endless hate and lust for destruction.

Quickly, his eyes narrowed and his heart pounding, Green once more rose his voice above the screams of their enemies. "Keep them separated! Back each other up," he called out quickly, as the two groups raised their weapons and prepared to charge into battle, "And whatever you do, DON'T BACK DOWN!"

And as the monstrosities screamed their darkness and hate to the children, so the five young heroes returned the shouts, their voices filled with determination, light, and a drive unlike any heard before. The five Links quickly ran forward, splitting into their two assigned groups as they approached the enemies from angled sides, each luring the other to the opposite side as the first, their hearts racing and their eyes narrowed and fiercely set upon their mission.

Snarling, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white, Shadow ran alongside Green, speaking quickly and loudly to him as they approached their target. "I'll distract her for you!" he roared as the two charged, side-by-side, into battle. Fearless and with nothing to stand between them and their goal, the two Links ran alongside each other, as if they had always done so and there was no other truth than this. "You strike the eyes when you have an opening! And watch out for those pincers!"

"Got it!" Green responded just as quickly, nodding fiercely once, his eyes kept forward on their target. And though the both of them ran straight towards hell's beast, into the reach of the enemy and the center of the inferno... He held not a shred of fear, nor doubt, with the support of the friend who ran alongside him. At this thought, even despite the intensity of the fight... he could not keep a small smirk from tugging at his cheeks.

Veran, screeching as her two main glowing, glaring purple eyes settled upon the two approaching heroes, quickly turned to face the children, her large and towering limbs slamming across the rubble with each numerous step and sending clouds of dust billowing through the air around her. The six massive pincers, each in pairs growing smaller to the center, wiggled in delight and anticipation of its victims as Veran, hungry for death, ran towards the Links, advancing quickly upon them in hopes of slamming them to the ground and crushing them beneath her limbs.

Running off to the side, splitting away from Green and rounding off an angle around the massive spider, with his narrowed red sights set upon the beast before him, Shadow pulled back his lips in a snarl as he brought his fists in front of him, the shadow magic already called forth from his powers and bursting from his hands. The blasts of dark magic he flung, one after the other in quick succession in hopes of bringing the demonic spider's creature towards him and away from Green, quickly met their mark- slamming against the side of the spider, they hardly caused damage to the massive, seemingly impervious behemoth of darkness- yet they served their purpose all the same. Screeching in hate and fury, her wide, purple eyes glaring to the side at the nuisance, the destructive spider Veran quickly and nimbly whirled around on her eight spider legs, lunging after Shadow and slamming her powerful legs down quickly after the new target.

Fulfilling his part of the plan, Green, his hands wrapped tight around his sword and shield, quickly ran off to the side, splitting away from Shadow when the other Link took to his own, sending his distracting blasts of shadow magic towards the massive behemoth the two strived to take down. And as Green noticed, ever growing closer to Veran yet keeping both a safe enough distance and a close enough one to move in for an opening, the distraction was working perfectly- the gigantic monster that had once been the sentient and coherent being of Veran was no longer, transformed by the darkness and the powers of the God of Darkness and simply made as a larger, more powerful vessel in which to accommodate his power. And as another shot from Shadow's magic barreled into the spider's side, knocking it off-balance, Veran screeched in pain- and, for a second, it appeared as if she were stunned, leaning slightly backwards in the attack's recoil and trembling lightly as her body remained still, almost paralyzed. Green's eyes snapped open. Now was his chance! He leapt forward, his sword brandished and-

-In a heartbeat, Green found himself stumbling, catching himself from falling as he stopped himself from running, his eyes widening in shock and the breath nearly stolen from his chest at what he saw. Veran had not been stunned- she had been preparing an attack! For a mere second after Green had charged towards the unsuspecting monster, so Veran had lunged forward, towards the attacking Shadow- and, from the center of her pincers, out had burst a large, white and silky web, strong and firing in one solid, massive piece towards her attacker. Shadow's eyes were wide as he threw his arms up to defend himself- but even his dark magic could not burn through the terrifying web which slammed against him, wrapping his arms close to his sides and tightening all around his body, slowly squeezing him as, from the other end of the web, a large string which attached her caught prey to her pincers began to slowly retract. Chattering with demonic glee, her prey caught and defenseless in her trap, Veran's pincers opened and closed hungrily as she slowly began to draw in her catch towards her devouring, awaiting pincers.

"Sh-Shadow!" Green shouted, his eyes wide as, completely forgetting his mission, ran towards his struggling, entrapped friend, his mind only thinking on what would happen if Shadow, unable to fight back, would finally be dragged to those two, deadly pincers and-

"NO! _Damnit_! Go after _her_! Now, Green!" Shadow screamed as he writhed and struggled, his heels digging into the ground below as he resisted as best he could the powerful pull from the web as Veran slowly began to drag him in closer and closer to her terrible, snapping jaws. Though he desperately tried to call up his dark magic, it was all for naught- his hands were pinned tightly to his sides, his entire torso wrapped in the sticky, constricting white web with only his legs left as his last line of defense, his last way to struggle against his slowly impeding doom. The ends of his boots were scuffing madly against the ground, leaving thin grooves in the dirt and rubble as he was dragged closer and closer to those wide, dripping fangs... Green's eyes went wide as he looked from the web to the spider, the spider to his trapped friend, his friend to the pincers...

And in an instant, the decisive and quick-thinking leader knew what had to be done.

Running forward, putting on an extra burst of speed as he barreled towards the monstrous spider, the hero leapt in between both his friend and the spider, shouting aloud as, forgoing his shield for his glistening, proud Four Sword, with both hands wrapped fiercely around its hilt, he brought his sword down in a powerful vertical strike, the razor-sharp edge of his blade cleanly and evenly slicing through the binding string of web which tied the spider to its trapped prey. The result was instantaneous- as the pressure was relieved from the pull of both sides, Shadow was flung to the ground, freed, yet still trapped- and, stumbling backwards from the hit, Veran's feet scrambled over the ground as she attempted to regain her balance, the severed web lying uselessly on the dirt.

Eyes flashing, wasting not a second as he bought his blade quickly up from behind him, Green shouted as he charged headlong towards the stunned, vulnerable monster- and, leaping forwards, cried aloud as he thrust his blade forward, impaling the tip of his sword through the massive spider's left eye.

Without waiting an instant, hardly pausing a second to hear out the beast's screeching cries of pain and rage, Green's blade was withdrawn from its target as the hero quickly whirled around, leaping out of range from the monster and running back towards where the severed trail of web led. From behind him he could hear the painful, withering screams of the monstrosity- yet he couldn't heed them, not yet. Instead, his eyes were focused on one thing and one thing alone. Hardly slowing down, Green instead kept his speed quick as he ran up towards the fallen Shadow- and, his blade work quick and accurate, swung downwards once more, inches away from his friend, the end of his blade just barely catching the binding web which had tightly wrapped itself around Shadow's arms and legs.

Sliced to shreds, the web fell useless to the ground- and, as Green extended a hand, Shadow gave a grim smile, taking it wordlessly in his own. "Come on," Green said, panting lightly, his mind still working and running, not stopping for a second to think back on the successful hit, "we've got to regroup with the others."

The Link of shadows was silent for a moment- but, with his grim smile, managed to open his mouth as he muttered out, "Thanks," his friend helping him hoist himself to his feet.

Grinning, Green merely picked up his sword once more, nodding in response. Though he felt the rush of battle and the clock ticking away their precious seconds, knowing he needed to hurry and that every moment counted... He allowed himself a moment's hesitation as he grinned and responded confidently, "You bet. Now let's get back to the others!"

Grinning in response, Shadow gave a simple, agreeing nod. Their task now complete, without any more words exchanged between the two, the duo quickly ran past the thrashing and writhing monster that had once been the sorceress Veran, back towards their friends, ready to continue taking on whatever challenges would lie ahead.

As two of their friends ran off to meet with the malicious, terrifying spider monstrosity, the three other Links, determined and ready, ran off in the opposite direction, charging into the fight with the ominous and towering Dark Dragon. Almost instantly, a bolt of icy-blue magic was flung from the three's direction, slamming harshly into the side of the dragon's face. Roaring in pain and irritation, its burning, soulless red eyes instantly turned to face its attacker. Nearly out of breath, but forcing himself to keep running anyways, Red gripped his Ice Rod firmly in his hands, his eyes focused fiercely upon the beast he'd attacked.

"You guys keep going!" Red shouted as he came to a stop, planting his feet firmly in the rubble-strewn battlefield beneath him. He tightened his grip on the Ice Rod held firmly in both hands, his youthful face hardened and his bright, blue eyes set into a determined, fearless gaze. "I'll keep him distracted!"

Stopping as they noticed Red falling back, Blue shot a quick glare towards Vio, who had also stopped beside him. "What do WE do, then?" he shouted quickly.

Vio's eyes widened- and though he meant to respond to Blue's question, something else came out of his mouth.

"Look out!-!"

Quickly shoving the other's shoulder, Vio pushed the two of them off to the side- only milliseconds before a massive, clawed hand came slamming down on the ground right where they had been standing. A cloud of dirt flew upwards at the massive impact around the beast's claws, which were digging into the dirt itself, curving inwards in a tight and deadly grasp, the ground below becoming unearthed with the motion. Onox's blood red eyes narrowed in fury at his missed attack, and his jaws opened wide, flashing his horrible set of gleaming white fangs. However, this was not merely for show- and only a second after his mouth had been opened, multiple and massive balls of blazing fire came barreling out from between his jaws, aimed right towards the young heroes.

Once more, the three Links were forced to jump to the side to evade the attack- and, once more shouting out, Red returned the volley with a string of ice attacks. "Come and get ME, you big lizard!" the small Link shouted as he once more flung more ice at Onox, jumping backwards and to the side, hoping to lure its attacks away from his friends.

Breathless, after having recovered from evading the attack, Vio quickly glanced up at Onox and then to the side at Red, drawing Onox's fire. Only a split second passed before he knew what had to be done- and quickly he whirled around to face Blue, his eyes narrowed and intense.

"Blue, next time his hand comes down, I need you to jump on it, and run up his back to his head! That's the only way to get to the gem! Red and I will distract his attacks!"

"Got it!" Blue responded with a bold, wild grin. He thought Vio's plan was insane, crazy, risky and something his normally calm and cautious friend would never propose- but he was excited nonetheless, and knew that he was the perfect one to do such a daring maneuver. He wasn't sure how exactly it would play out, but… he trusted him beyond words, and so not another word was spoken as he whirled around, running over towards Red. After all, with Onox being distracted towards Red, Blue knew exactly where his next attack would be aimed…

And, just as Blue thought, Red was only seconds away from being hit by Onox's hand once more, the small Link using his size and agility to his advantage as he quickly dodged another attack by the monstrous dragon's claws. And not a second after the hand slammed on the ground, with the cloud of dust still hovering in the air-

"HA!" Laughing aloud, Blue leapt up quickly, his sword and shield sheathed to give him greater mobility, and planted his boots firmly on top of Onox's scaled, clawed hand. The Dark Dragon hardly noticed his presence- a mere flea in comparison to the gigantic creature, Blue's weight was hardly anything to Onox's massive bulk. Instead, his attention was still focused on the small Red continuing to shoot the ice at him- and once more he returned another volley of fireballs to the Link. And as he began to raise up his hand for a second attack-

"Going up!" Blue laughed to himself as he crouched down, bracing himself as he was lifted high into the air on the back of the giant dragon's hand. His next move would be risky, he knew... but if anything, this challenge was yet another adventure, and he'd tackle it just as he did all the others- headfirst, with no looking back. With another laugh, as the monster's hand grew close to his shoulders, Blue took a deep breath- and jumped.

Overwhelming the small Link facing him, Onox roared as he once more slammed his opposite hand down on the ground, more fireballs flung at Red. Already, he was beginning to advance upon the small Red, his strength and stamina greater than the other's- but suddenly, right before when it would seem as if Red would be completely overwhelmed, a harsh stinging sensation burned through the beast's eye, and, snarling in contempt and rage, Onox jerked his massive head to the side- just in time to see Vio let off another string of arrows, all aimed precisely towards the creature's eyes.

Vio's glare was intense, furious, calm, and piercing as he looked over the string of his bow, the points of his arrows all aimed high and precisely towards the beast's eyes. He and Red could keep the dragon's attention divided, he knew this- making sure neither of them became overwhelmed- and, above all else, he had to keep the beast from recognizing Blue's presence on his back. Holding down his bow, he quickly jumped to the side, evading another slam of Onox's hands- and, looking back up, suddenly found himself grinning widely, even resisting the urge to laugh.

After all, it was one of the greatest sights Vio had ever seen- unbeknownst to the massive creature attacking the Links on the ground, there was a third Link running just beyond his sights- jumping and leaping over the massive scales on his back, a wild grin on his face, climbing higher and higher up the demon's neck. The wind was buffeting him backwards, but still he ran on, his grin growing wider and wider with each leap he took.

Onox once more roared as he flung his hands towards Red, slamming them just inches away from his target, and again sent another flurry of fire towards the archer beside him- but still he was oblivious to the swordsman who had finally reached the top of his climb, and was standing- almost victoriously- on top of his very forehead.

Taking out his sword, Blue stood right in front of the gleaming, diamond-shape gem on Onox's forehead, the massive crystal even bigger than he was. Still, he laughed- and, biting back a remark about the new definition of a 'headache', thrust his sword downwards as hard as he possibly could.

The glistening, silver metal of his sword plunged effortlessly down, all the way down to the hilt, submerging itself completely in the blazing red crystal atop Onox's head. And from the slit Blue's sword created in the gem, a blinding, white light began to burst forward out of it. Screaming in agony and pain, the Dark Dragon Onox tossed his head back, his jaws parting and his arms flailing around dangerously, his wings beating furiously behind him and his tail slamming harshly against the rubble-strewn grown beneath.

"Blue!" Vio yelled, his eyes wide with concern as he stepped forward, his heart pounding, his friend's safety on top of the raging monstrosity the only thing on his mind. "Get out of there!"

Remembering something from a lesson he'd learned the hard way before, Blue kept himself from grinning as he wrapped his hands tight around his sword, pulling it out of the gem and keeping it firmly in his grasp. He was not about to lose it this-

"-AAHH!"

Suddenly, Blue felt the world turn upside-down as he was jerked backwards, losing his balance with another massive upheaval of the beast's head, tossing and jerking from side to side. And in an instant, he no longer had grasp on solid ground beneath him- but found it suddenly rushing up to meet him as he plunged downwards off the giant beast's head, the wind buffeting him from below, the entire world spinning and his heart racing in panic and fear-

"Gotcha!"

A triumphant voice covered over Blue's scream in a loud and vibrant shout as Red, beaming in victory, leapt forward, his Ice Rod extended in his firm grasp and a shoot of icy magic firing out from its orb. In an instant, swirling and twisting in an ether-like substance, the ice had flown through the air like snow, crackling and popping as it solidified into a solid form-

-And seconds later, Blue gasped as he landed on the downward-sliding ice, his momentum carrying him forward and sliding across the cold substance, guiding him safely down to the ground until it ended, where he stumbled out and onto the ground- shaky, but unharmed.

And as Onox screamed and roared in fury and pain behind them, the three Links quickly regrouped, flashing and exchanging quick grins, and turned towards the side, running towards the center as they aimed to regroup with the others.

The five Links, leaving the two wounded monsters to reel and scream in their wounds, quickly ran back to the center of the field, gasping in deep breaths and ignoring the pains in their muscles, knowing they still had yet to go. Instantly, upon meeting, their eyes went over each other, mentally sighing in relief upon seeing that they were all safe and relatively unharmed.

"What do we do now, guys?" Blue asked breathlessly, the first to speak as the words burst out of his mouth the instant the five of them had ran together, stopping only a few feet in front of them and, though keeping close together, turning to look over at the side at Veran and Onox, making sure they were not caught off-guard by their recovery.

As they had been running, knowing his responsibility, Vio had kept his eyes outwards and to the side, watching the injured monsters and seeing what they could do next. The gem on Onox's head had been shattered, and underneath, a pulsating, undulating bolt of light was flashing from the top of his head. The exposed crystal was weak and vulnerable. And a quick glance to Veran told Vio all he needed to know- one of her eyes was gouged out, destroyed and utterly worthless. But the second one was still wide-open and working- there would only be one way to bring these two monsters down, once and for all.

And so, without a moment's hesitation, Vio responded quickly, without even pausing for breath, "They're both weakened, all we need to do is finish them off!"

Shadow nodded, his eyes fierce. "We're not done yet," he said firmly, hiding his pain and his wounds- as he knew all the others were doing, as well.

Green nodded in agreement, clenching his teeth. "We'll have to divide up again. This time, we'll need to-"

"G-guys! They're getting up!" Red suddenly cried out, looking away from the others and back to them as he took a few tentative steps backwards, still holding out his Ice Rod in front of him.

Only seconds after the four Links turned around to heed Red's cry, they suddenly found themselves falling backwards as the ground in front of them exploded with force, tearing it to shreds with the force of the impact. Onox's claws had slammed down only inches in front of them, and the full force of Veran's body came crashing down as she leapt in front of them, her one good eye wide and infuriated as her claws twitched hungrily in front of them.

Scrambling to get to their feet, the Links quickly regrouped again, backing up and standing firm against the monsters, though their eyes wide and panicked as they looked at the sight in front of them.

Standing together and side by side, Onox and Veran set their sights on the children- but, instead of attacking again, stood still as a strange, black cloud began to build behind and around them, swirling higher and higher and getting more powerful, plunging the entire world around them into darkness as it seemed to suck away all the light of the world around them...

"W-what are they doing?-!" Blue shouted, his eyes wide as he lifted his shield, keeping close to the others.

"I don't know... E-everyone, just stay together!" Green replied loudly, though his heart was racing in panic as he, too, wondered just what was going to happen.

However, in the confusion and horror of the five Links, among one of them an expression of understanding and true terror began to come over them... Shadow's red eyes grew wider in recognition as he began to see what was happening, a sinking feeling in his stomach turning his entire body cold, the color draining from his face.

There wasn't a second left- the darkness had built and grown until it now engulfed the monsters before them, leaving only their glowing, burning eyes showing from beneath. And with one, unified roar of fury and rage, the darkness lunged forward, sending a massive wave of pure dark power hurtling towards the five children, destroying and consuming everything in its path, slamming powerfully towards them without a second's pause-

And in the very last second, as the darkness threatened to swallow them whole and the entire world along with it, a single figure stood out as he leapt forward, placing himself in front of the group, his red eyes burning and a darkness of his own growing at his fists...

And before the four Links behind him could even cry out his name, Shadow's yells drowned out everything as he threw his fists forward, a massive and powerful wave of darkness, nearly matching that of the one headed towards them, thrown upwards, expanding in an instant to cover the heroes and meet head-long with the one headed towards them.

With the two forces of darkness meeting and colliding, the entire world turned black- and the Links, hidden under Shadow's shield, could see nothing, instead holding up their shields in defense and crouching together, riding out the battle of power and destruction going on around them, drowning everything in the roar of darkness.

The darkness seemed to last for both eternity, and a split second.

None of the Links could even hear their own cries for their friend over the silence of the darkness.

But when it had finally passed...

Fading away into the light of the night's moon, the darkness around the Links finally began to recede in slivers of dying magic, slipping away into the night until it no longer became distinguishable from the dark magic essence and the natural darkness of the night. Once more the world around them was visible, and the sounds of the night returned to them- those of the bestial roars of Veran and Onox, recovered and once more thundering around in fury...

And the silence of the friend who lay collapsed on the dirt before them.

"SHADOW!-!"

Crying out in unison, the four Links instantly leapt forward, falling down on their knees as they surrounded their fallen friend. The roars of Veran and Onox, slowly recovering from the attack yet still letting their anger be known, went all but unheard as the four Links frantically shook their friend's shoulders, calling his name and trying to wake him up. But no matter what they tried, Shadow's dark red eyes would not open, his blackened hair falling over his face, and he remained lying motionlessly on his back, facing the stars above them.

It was then that the dark clouds above the Links finally came to fruition- the storm had been a long time coming, having taken its time as it journeyed from the waters of Lake Hylia to the ruins of Hyrule Castle, and now, it seemed, was the time for it all to come to an end. First, the opaque drops of water fell slowly from the swirling, tumultuous storm clouds above, dappling the ground with random splotches of shades. But all too quickly, as if spurred on by the despair on the ground below, the rain fell in heavier sheets, whipped on by the wind, until the water poured down upon the land, covering everything in water. Brief flashes of lightning illuminated the sky behind the clouds, and now, in addition to the roars and screams of the demons below, the noise of the pounding rain was clouding the area around the fight- and where the four Links knelt, soaking wet, around their silent, motionless friend.

Finally, one of them spoke.

"G-green! What do we do?-!" Red cried, looking up to Green with wide-eyed, tear-filled eyes. Water streaked down his cheeks and matted his hair and clothes to his skin, and as he looked fearfully at his friends, he saw the exact same things on them.

Instantly, though Green hated the fact that he had done it so many times before, the leader of the Links put two fingers on his friend's neck- and, though relieved that his friend was still alive, was still staring down at his unconscious friend, wondering just what they were supposed to do now. And when Red called his name... Swallowing away a lump that refused to leave his throat, Green looked up- and found all three sets of eyes staring at him through the pouring rain, at a loss, needing an answer.

For a moment, Green found himself looking back down at their fallen friend. The falling water had already soaked him just as much as it had them, keeping his black bangs plastered to his forehead. Green's hand was still on Shadow's shoulder. Briefly, he remembered only moments earlier, fighting Veran- caught in the web, his friend had urged only one mission, to keep fighting. Shadow had always done that... Always keep fighting. And no matter how great the pain would be... he knew HE would always keep fighting, too.

Finding himself finally able to swallow away the lump, Green looked up at his friends with new conviction burning in his eyes. "The sooner we take these things down," he said firmly, his teeth clenching tightly and anger shaking his voice, "The sooner we can help Shadow."

Interrupting the Links came the roars and shrieks of Veran and Onox; the Links looked to the side, watching as the two monsters, recovering from the massive attack that Shadow had protected them from, began to once more climb to their feet, aiming their bloodthirsty sights at the children once more. They, too, were now soaked in the waters coming from the heavens above- the water made them glisten and shine against the harsh darkness of night, illuminated only briefly by the occasional flash of lightning which lit up the entire sky in its eerie, haunting blue light.

Quickly, Green turned his sights back on Vio.

Nodding calmly and solemnly, Vio stood up, looking once back at Veran and Onox before glancing back at his friends and speaking, his voice full of assurance and determination.

"Blue and Red- you two, take Onox down. Green and I will finish Veran."

Without missing a beat, Green added quickly, "Keep them away from Shadow. Let's go!"

The lightning lit up the sky once again behind the children- yet quicker than the light from the flash could even fade away, the four heroes had leapt upwards and, dividing into their two groups, were now racing across the rubble-strewn ruins that had once been their Hyrule Castle in different directions, ready to finish it all, right there and right then.

"Green!" Vio shouted aloud as he and Green ran through the blinding, pounding rain towards Veran, who was screaming as she scrambled to her multiple legs. As his leader turned to look, Vio yelled, his voice as loud as he could manage, "She jumped at us, a minute ago! With that attack, that only opening she'll give is when she comes down!"

Green nodded, taking it in as his mind tried to race fast enough to keep up with Vio's strategic thinking, keeping one step ahead of their opponent. Out of the corner of his eyes he watched Veran, screaming and writhing, prepare to make the same jump she had made before. He quickly jerked his head back to Vio. "What do we need to do?-!"

Vio knew Green wouldn't like his answer, but he gritted his teeth and came to a stop, readying himself for what would come next. "One of us has to get caught. Then, and only then, she'll leave an opening for the other to strike."

"I'll-"

Instantly, however, Vio interrupted Green with a fierce voice and narrowed eyes. "No," he shouted firmly, the tension growing by the second as Veran stood to her full height, only a few feet in front of them, her pincers chattering as she prepared the jump attack and sheets of water being flung from the tips of her claws at every swing. Vio continued, rushing his voice. "I don't think my arrows can do the job! Only your boomerang will work for this! It _has_ to be me!"

Their time was up.

With a loud screech, the massive arachnid had crouched downwards, and, in an instant, its spindly legs had launched the massive creature high into the air, its shadow shrinking over the two children as it sank into the darkness of the night, practically disappearing. Vio glared at Green, his eyes wide and urgent as he stood still, ready to do his part.

And as Vio's eyes burned into Green's, so their leader stared back, in the span of the one split second they had, all sorts of thoughts, worries, and feelings going through his mind at once. Vio was right in his thoughts- Green did not like this at all. Any time that one of them offered to put themselves in danger for the others... A lump began to form in Green's throat. Would Green be able to do this...? Would Vio be safe? Would this even work? And... perhaps the one that tugged at his chest the most... How in the world had he ever been so deserving of the trust his friend was putting in him?

Either way... The second was up. And Green, knowing there would be no alternative, nor any second chances, gave one quick, swift nod, and ran off to the side, his boomerang already in hand as he got out of the way.

And not a second later... The shadow directly over the calm and standing Vio Link was growing... He closed his eyes and lowered his sword, feeling the pounding rain on his shoulders and bracing himself for the hit...

Ready to take it for the team... Vio clenched his jaws tight and braced every fiber of his being. He would do his part, prepare himself and be captured by the terrible, spiteful monster that was the twisted sorceress Veran, in order to give his friend those precious few seconds of vulnerability. In a flash, he could see Shadow's still body lying amongst the rubble, his body being soaked by the rain... Vio's eyes closed tightly. He would gladly have taken his friends' place... But this was all he could do, for now. And so he would do it without hesitation.

And yet...

In an instant, a split second of horror and despair, the two Links each received the shock of their life.

In the final split second as Green readied his attack, and Vio readied his defense... Both of their worlds were turned upside down as the ground beneath them split in two- and Veran landed, screeching and screaming, right on top of the lone, green Link.

Instantly and suddenly rendered both defenseless and motionless, Green could do nothing but shout aloud in shock and pain as Veran's remaining set of pincers locked themselves tightly around his middle, the jagged edges squeezing his body tightly and lifting him up off the ground, his arms pinned to each side and his boomerang and sword long dropped on the ground below him. Chattering in vicious glee, Veran raised her pincer above her, as if displaying her captured prize for all the doomed world to see. And though Green struggled and fought, it was all useless- and, shrieking in laughter once more, the spider brought the pincer close to her wide, open jaws, ready to devour the child and send him to the dark, unforgiving depths of death.

Vio's eyes snapped open, his heart caught in his chest, and his breath froze all in the same instant that those terrible sounds were heard- those of Veran's triumphant, hellish screech, and his friend's cries of shock and pain. And at that moment, nothing else mattered- and he found himself running, faster than he ever had, towards the back of the monstrous spider, his arm reaching out behind him for his sword...

"You... will NOT..."

His voice was shaken, laced with fury and determination as his eyes opened wide, his chest heaving and his running figure finally reaching the back of the spider.

"... take..."

Breathlessly, and almost effortlessly, Vio found leverage on one of Veran's outstretched spider limbs, leaping on top of it and jumping straight onto the back of the beast.

"... my FRIEND..."

He panted heavily as he ran up and on top of Veran's massive, arched back, his boots pounding heavily on the soaking wet surface of the monster as he reached the top of her face.

"... AWAY FROM _ME_!-!-!"

In one loud yell, Vio had leapt off the top of the spider, just as her pincers had brought a struggling, defenseless Green straight to her agape mouth, and, executing a perfect Spin Attack downwards, shouted as his blade sliced clean through the spider's pincers, severing claw from the rest of the body and sending it plunging to the ground, its prisoner freed from its grasp, and the spindly leg of the monster jerking about in shock and pain.

And as soon as he landed-

Twirling around, Vio shouted aloud as he thrust his sword forward, with more effort than he'd ever given in a strike, and plunged the tip of his sword, all the way up to the hilt, straight through Veran's eye.

Vio could've sworn his ears would burst from the sound emitted from the horrible creature in front of her as Veran, with Vio's sword plunged all the way through her eye, was frozen in place, shrieking louder than any sound made before, the dying spider's voice grinding and searing as it broke through the world around him.

Finally, feeling as if he could hold it no more, and feeling both the pounding rain down his face and tears streaking his cheeks, Vio cried aloud as he stepped back, pulling his sword out from the eye of the monster and stumbling back as it finally was released from its hold. No sooner had he done so then he felt a hand on his shoulder- panting, he glanced over, seeing Green's exhausted, pain-stricken, yet comforting face as he struggled to his feet, giving a nod.

"... Vio... We're done..."

Despite himself, all the anger and sorrow, the ferocity and determination which had urged him on, Vio found himself calming down as he gave a slow nod, forcing a grim smile on his face. And as Green returned the nod, having freed himself from the fallen, useless pincers, the Links turned and ran back towards the center, knowing all too well they still had a job to do- and a friend to protect.

Amongst the pouring rain, a brilliant flash of red and orange lit up the night sky, as, despite the water slamming it from all sides, a gigantic blast of fire was sent barreling through the sky, slamming on the ground below and exploding upon impact, sending shoots of fire in all directions. And yet, as the fire cleared and smoked, from between its reaches raced two small figures, deftly evading the attacks as they ran into the belly of the beast, towards the monstrosity ahead of them and to the fight of their lives.

"Blue!" Red shouted above the roars of the dragon and of the storm, the other looking back in response as they ran.

A wild grin came across Red's face, one he'd learned well from his friend. "You're not going up alone, this time!"

It only took Blue a second to understand what he'd said- but seeing the bold grin on his friend's face... In the midst of all the chaos and destruction, Blue's laugh rang loud as he responded, "Wouldn't have it any other way, buddy!"

And when the moment finally came-

The entire ground shook as if it had been struck with the force of a God; chunks of rubble flew up from the crater-sized impact and the air was clouded with rain, fire, and dust. But in the split second as the claws began to tighten together, the hand starting to lift back upwards-

"NOW!-!-!"

In an instant, before the massive hand of the dragon could lift hardly an inch off the ground, two figures soared through the air as they leapt over the rubble and boulders, landing directly on the back of the monster's scaly, slippery hand.

Gasping from the effort and each holding on to the other for stability, Red and Blue had only a second's time to catch their breath- and their footing- before they suddenly felt themselves pushed downwards with the force of the monster's hand lifting quickly skywards.

The rain pummeled them from all sides, pouring down the sides of the beast's claws like dozens of mini waterfalls and each drop of water doing its best to pull the two small heros off of their perch and down to the unforgiving, harsh ground beneath. But, with their teeth and fists clenched and each of them holding on to the other, the two heroes managed to stay on as the hand reached its full height in the sky, raised high next to the towering monstrosity beside it.

The great dragon beast Onox roared in fury upon not seeing the children on the ground any longer- unaware that they had hitched a ride directly on his own claws. His burning, hate-filled eyes widened and his jaws parted as he roared once more, thrashing his head backwards and his wings behind him slamming against the wind and rain with each monstrous beat.

"Alright, Red!" Blue shouted as he knelt down, his gaze focused sharply on the beast's head. "We have to get to that gem!" Red nodded, ready to listen to Blue's orders, who had already done it once. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Blue yelled above the storm and the roars, "What we'll need to do is-"

And yet, cutting off Blue before he even had a chance to finish, Onox suddenly screamed in his rage, his thrashing now moving onto his claws as he raked the air with his talons, flinging his hands every which way as torrents of fire burst out from his jaws, lighting the dark and rainy sky in fury and terror. Red, his eyes and mouth wide as he cried out his friend's name, could only watch helplessly as the Link was tossed clean off the beast's hand, thrown off and towards the dragon-

-At the last second, however, Blue's outstretched sword dug itself into the dragon's side, stopping his descent instantly as he held onto the hilt of his sword for dear life. Onox, screaming in pain at the stab, looked downwards with burning eyes as he saw Blue holding on to his sword, stuck firmly in the center of the dragon's chest.

"R-RED!" Blue shouted, gasping as he jerked around from side to side with the dragon's movements, still dangling from his precarious grip on the sword. "F-forget me! Go for his head! NOW!" he bellowed as loud as he could, not even able to look towards him as he instead was forced to focus on holding on to the wet hilt of his sword, evading the swipes of Onox's claw towards him, and the torrential rainfall pounding him every second.

Red's heart had stopped as he watched, with despair and horror in his eyes, Blue struggle to hold on. If he fell from this height... if Onox managed to grab him with his claws or teeth...!

However, he didn't have long to think, as he felt the monster's hand jerk beneath him- he was about to slice his claws towards Blue! And if Red was still on it...!-!

Red's eyes widened- then narrowed, all in an instant. He knew what he HAD to do.

And, just as the monster's hand swiped forward, Red ran as fast as he could off the edge- jumping at just the right moment, using both his own momentum and that of the hand's lunge to propel him across the wide distance, landing squarely on the back of the dragon's neck. Grabbing on to the protruding scales and holding on as best he could, Red gasped, fighting against the motion of the beast and the pounding of the rain, as he desperately climbed his way up the back of the creature's neck.

After what seemed like an eternity to the gasping, soaking wet child, Red finally felt his hand latch onto one of Onox's horns, and was able to hoist himself upwards and over, standing shakily, yet victoriously, on top of the dragon's head. He could hear Blue's screams below- and while it terrified him, at the same time it relieved him- his friend was alive, and though he was in danger, Red would only use this knowledge as fuel... Fuel to allow him to deliver the final blow to the beasts which had thrown his whole world upside down.

And so, grabbing tight onto his glistening Four Sword, his eyes narrowed and his face darkened, Red found his footing, his courage, and his strength as he ran forward, unafraid and undeterred, over the top of the dragon's head, hundreds of feet above the air...

Leaping high through the storming, torrential sky, with his blade swung over his head and leaving a trail of water and glory behind it, Red shouted aloud as he leapt forwards- and brought his sword down, straight through the pulsing, beating red sphere of light which rested at the center of Onox's forehead.

It was as if the entire world had exploded at the apex of that point- light blasted Red from the wound he'd made in the diamond of light, and every sound was swallowed up by the roar of pain and agony bursting from Onox's jaws. However, despite his victory in Onox's pain, Red knew he didn't have much time- and, stepping back, quickly drew out the sword from the now out-of-control, dying sphere of light. Ignoring everything else, his eyes were wide as he ran to the tip of the beast's jaws, looking down for any sight of-

"BLUE!-!"

The sword... it was beginning to slip out of the beast... He was about to fall...!

Forgoing everything, tossing all his fears and doubts aside, Red put his sword away and whipped out his Ice Rod as he dove head first off the top of the beast's snout, free falling off the top of the gigantic beast. As he fell, his eyes narrowed in concentration, he outstretched a hand-

-And, grabbing onto Blue's hand in that split second, his sword released from the beast's chest, the two Links fell in tandem towards the ground, their descent only quickening each second they fell-

"ICE-ROD!"

Red shouted aloud as he whipped his weapon out in front of him, a massive burst of snowy, icy wind erupting from the tip of the orb. The massive force blasted outwards and towards the ground, slowing the two's descent- and when they finally fell, it was with a gentle slump as they landed in a heap of light, snowy ice.

Gasping for breath, Blue's head burst out from the snow as he looked first over at Red, then at the thrashing, screaming Onox.

"Did that-?"

"Y-yes, now let's hurry back to the others!" Red gasped quickly, still knowing that their clock was ticking closer and closer away. Climbing out of the snow, he held out his hand-

-And, with a grin, Blue took his friend's hand, sheathing his sword and nodding. He had never been so impressed with the small Link- he'd seen Red leap off, unafraid, of the highest point of the dragon's face, angled downwards and ready for nothing but saving his friend. That took an amount of bravery that no one could never measure. And as the two ran back to their friends, ignoring the dying shrieks of Onox behind them, neither of them could help a small grin from forming on their faces, knowing that each had learned so much from the other.

The Four Sword Heroes regrouped near the center, their thoughts ignoring the screaming and dying monsters behind them as they instead focused on one thing and one thing alone- their fallen friend. Instantly, as they all reached his side, they all fell to their knees, gathering around him and looking fearfully at his still-closed.

"Shadow! Shadow, wake up, we did it!" Red cried as he shook his friend's shoulder desperately. And yet...

"... Oh, _no_..."

The hollow, despair-filled and almost silent words of Vio shocked everyone as they looked towards him, and then, seeing where his eyes were, looked in the direction which he currently stared at. And as each of them saw what was happening, a terrible sort of horror began to creep into each of their hearts.

Darkness... clouds of billowing, building shadows and blackness were building behind the two monsters, who, after thrashing and screaming in rage and pain, had fallen onto one another in a massive, twitching and snarling heap, each leaning weakly against the other as they gasped their final breaths. But as the darkness grew behind them, it seemed to seep directly into their forms... as if feeding them with energy... Renewing them... _Restoring_ them...

"Uggnnngh..."

Despite the terror of their situation, the Links' eyes went wide and they all gasped as they whirled around behind them-

Pushing his hands beneath him and weakly struggling to sit up, opening his red eyes despite the pounding of the rain, Shadow groaned weakly as he came to, his arms trembling as they struggled to hold his upper body up. But as his eyes opened fully, and his consciousness came to-

His eyes snapped open as he looked down at himself, where the other Links were also staring at as well.

The dark clouds... the darkness which was feeding into Veran and Onox, restoring them, healing their injuries and undoing all the damage the Links had done... it was also feeding itself into Shadow himself, bringing him back into consciousness and restoring his power. The Links could only stare in confusion, yet excitement upon seeing their friend awake. Finally, however, Shadow got to his feet, staring at his outstretched hands as the darkness fully immersed itself in his body...

Still trembling, yet no longer out of a physical weakness, Shadow's eyes looked seriously up at the two large monsters, who, being larger in size, were taking longer to recover... And his fists and throat tightened as he spoke, realization dawning over him.

"... I... I can stop this. Once and for all."

The Links, confused and shocked, looked at one another before back at Shadow.

Getting to his feet, Green moved to put a hand on Shadow's shoulder- but quickly, the child of darkness jerked away, instead glaring at them with narrowed, determined eyes.

"Right now," he snapped suddenly, as the dark clouds continued to grow all around him, giving him energy to the limitless powers he now knew he could wield... That he could wield all along... The Four Links looked at their friend, almost in quiet awe and intimidation, as the clouds and waves of darkness continued to grow around and behind him. His red eyes burned as he said darkly, "I'll hold them down. You four, deliver the final blow."

Though the Links once more looked at each other, unsure and worried- when they looked back at their friend, with his narrowed and determined eyes, his strong stature and the burning desire to finish this all blazing in his spirit and in the darkness that surrounded him...

They each gave a nod.

"We'll do it, Shadow," Green said firmly. Vio, Blue and Red all nodded in fierce agreement as they drew their swords.

Shadow nodded.

_"End it."_

With one final nod, the Four Sword Heroes, their Swords drawn, turned and ran towards the two fallen monsters, their swords trailing behind them and their spirits driven ahead, the light urging them on and bringing them to their final fight, their final blow- together and as a team.

And as Shadow watched them leave...

Once more, he looked at his outstretched palm, at the dark power flowing through it and all around it. The endless amount of energy, of shadows... He could feel every ounce of it, endless and continuous, flooding through his veins and filling every fiber of his being with power. The power he'd used against the Links' fight, however massive and terrible it had been, was _nothing_... compared to this. Shadow closed his eyes, taking a deep, steady breath.

It all made sense now... _everything_.

_'I see now... that I have his power... the power of the God of Darkness...'_ the thoughts once more raced through the child's mind in the few seconds he had left. '_I've always had it... And yet... Just as it is theirs to command... so it is also mine. But unlike them... Unlike all others...'_

His eyes blazed open as he raised his hands, a massive, blackened darkness rising above and around him and thrashing about in fury and power. As the power grew within him, through the darkness and shadows, another sort of power was also adding its might to the child- a power that came from the inside, rather than the outside. A power which, although he had never seen it, had always been there... Flooding through him from the depths of his soul.

_'Unlike them... I will use it differently. I cannot be controlled... I WILL not be controlled. Instead... I will use this power... This **life**... how **I choose** to use it...!-!-!'_

Shadow closed his eyes... and took a deep breath.

_'Today... this **ends**.'_

And as the Four Heroes finally reached the heap of wounded monsters, the vile creatures Veran and Onox, the power not yet restored to them, their eyes instead blazing straight at the heroes and their mouths open in an enraged, hateful scream...

Just as the massive blast of darkness from Shadow, the Being of Light and Darkness, hurtled towards the beasts, spurred on from the depths of his very being and the massive clouds of darkness and power which surrounded him... Just as it struck the two monsters, sending waves of darkness all around them and pushing out the God's powers, expelling them from the creatures and leaving nothing but emptiness in their beings... And just as the two monsters, screeching out in pain and hatred from their denied powers, looked in front of them, knowing they could do nothing but scream in their rage...

Slicing past and through the darkness of the night, the empty despair of the pounding rain, and the terror of the beasts which screamed at them, the four young children, each and collectively known as the Four Sword Heroes, ran as one single Link, together and yet apart, as they finally reached their target. Their sets of blue eyes were narrowed in bravery, courage, wisdom, and heart as they charged forward, their arms outstretched and their hands tightly gripping their holy weapons of light...

And, with the four of them grouped tightly together with their swords held out in front, their attack came- the powerful and unmistakeable, trademark and signature Super Spin Attack of the Four Sword Heroes was unleashed. Their four blades swung in unison, and just for a moment, were together as one- and as they reached their target, the four glistening, silvery blades of holy light dug deep into the beasts of darkness, shattering the darkness and blinding everything and all in sight and sound in an instant and mighty explosive blast of pure, white light... and, ultimately, silence.

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><p><strong>Desperate to know what's going to happen next? ;)<strong>

**Has this final blow truly done away with the evil villains of darkness, once and for all?**

**Read along to the final update, Chapter 55: Peace, to find out. :3**

**-Tiggz**


	55. Peace

**Well guys, here it is. The final chapter of my Four Swords fic. I'm so grateful to all of you that have reviewed, faved, watched, and read my stories. **

**And so it is with deep pride that I present to you the final installment of the Links' saga. :)**

**As usual… enjoy. :3**

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><p><strong>EPILOGUE<strong>

**Chapter Fifty-Five:** Peace

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><p>The blinding white light had swallowed everything, both sight and sound, in its pure and holy embrace. The darkness, not seen nor heard beneath the power of the light, screeched silently and writhed unseen in agony and defeat as it was slowly but surely stripped away, broken apart and into nothing. And underneath the light, the Four Links stood strong and unwavering, their eyes wide, unafraid and determined, their swords held high into the air and the glory and power of the light swirling around the blades and engulfing everything in its sight.<p>

Finally...

When it seemed as if there were no more darkness for the light to chase away, when the power of the light grew so strong that not a single force in the world could oppose it, and when the spirit of good had risen so above that of evil that no comparison could ever be made...

Finally, the light began to fade.

Unlike the darkness, which had shrieked and broken as it faded away, dying slowly and being overpowered by the light of the blades... The light, as it faded, almost seemed to remain on every particle in the air, seeping into all and gracing every living thing in its glory, basking and warming everything and only absorbing into life itself as it restored the land to its natural light.

And in the darkness of the night, lit up by the blinking stars and the solid light of the moon above, there were only five solitary figures left standing amongst the lightly drizzling rain, the upturned earth and the scattered rubble amongst the ruins of Hyrule Castle.

Standing in a tight, small group, the Four Links were lightly panting, sweat and rain dripping down their faces, their hair and tunics plastered to their skin and their muscles shaking with exhaustion and tire, each of their Four Swords hanging lightly by their sides, still gripped in their hands. And yet, as they looked at one another, their eyes locking as each came to realize what they had finally accomplished...

Before either could utter a single word, however, a slight sound came from behind them, and, surprised though unafraid, each turned around to watch as the fifth Link, his form equally as shaken and exhausted as theirs, walked up to them silently and calmly, his boots making a quiet and steady sound as they walked over the strewn rubble and up to the others, a small and weary smile on his face.

Finally, breaking the silence of the night...

"Are... are they gone?" The small voice, quiet and yet full of life, came from an unmistakeable source as the others looked towards the smaller Red Link, a small yet unsure smile on his face. "For... for good?"

And yet, surprising them all came the firm and sure nod of the fifth, who crossed his arms and spoke. "Yes," Shadow answered simply, the others turning to look at him. And as they did so, it was then that they noticed the dark clouds were still lightly around him, the dark powers still residing close to their friend... but with the smile on Shadow's face, the ease with which he stood and spoke... Each of them felt at ease, knowing that it was just a part of who he was.

Lifting his hand, with a small amount of shadow magic still swirling around it, Shadow spoke calmly and certainly, "They're both gone. Destroyed. They'll never be a bother to anyone, ever again." He lowered his hand and nodded to his four friends- to the four other pieces of his own soul. "Ganon's power is contained. So long as the Goddess' power resides in the Four of you... So his power will remain trapped in the sword itself."

"The 'four' of us?" came a questioning voice, and the Links looked towards Blue, who was narrowing his eyes with a devious smirk on his face. "You may have all that dark magic and stuff," he said with a laugh, clapping a hand over his friend's shoulder, "But you'll always be one of us, buddy. And I know you've got just as much light in you as we do."

With the mood lightened, the uncertainty gone and the evil villains destroyed, the children finally found it in themselves to be just that- children. Laughing in their own relief, the excitement of their victory, and the joy in remaining together, the five of them couldn't help wide smiles from forming on their faces as they hugged each other, talked eagerly amongst themselves and affirmed to both each other and themselves just how much the others meant to them.

And yet... Even this time could not last so long, and after a few minutes, they found themselves quieting as the rest of the situation sunk in, and they looked around at the silent battleground around them, the destroyed ruins of the Castle and the dark night which they knew fell over every person in Hyrule, every citizen who had suffered from the reign of Veran and Onox and every person who knew just how much they would have to rebuild.

However- before the children could sink into their sorrow, or dwell on thoughts of remorse and regret... like always, there was light to drive this away. And the five Links looked up in surprise as a sudden shaft of light illuminated the area above them in a brilliant trail, flying high above them and encircling them, alighting the rubble in its warm and radiant glow. And as the light from the bird began to subside, its wings beating slowly yet majestically as it lowered itself from the ground...

The Links all grinned as they turned to face the landing owl, even the darkest among them managing a smirk as he crossed his arms.

With a calm, quiet hoot, Kaepora Gaebora landed silently in front of the Heroes, a proud and content smile on his beak as the light finally faded off.

"... You have all done well."

Their guide's voice was warm and full, deep and proud as he looked upon each of the Links in turn.

"Kaepora!-!"

Unable to help himself any longer, the smallest of the Links cried out as he ran towards the owl, wrapping his arms tightly around the bird's wings in a hug. The owl, stunned slightly, gave a weak chuckle as he took a step back, trying to compensate for the tackle hug-

At the next instant, however, he was nearly knocked to the ground as the other three Links, laughing, also ran to join their friend, hugging the owl in a tight group with wide grins on their faces. Finally, Kaepora gave up, simply chuckling and shaking his head. And after a minute or so, content, the Links took a step back-

Looking up, Kaepora noticed one more Link standing in front of him. With crossed arms, Shadow smirked at the owl- then, taking a step forward, he outstretched a hand and roughly ruffled the feathers on top of the owl's head, chuckling as he muttered, "You weren't half bad yourself, Feathers."

Surprising the Links, Kaepora merely chuckled and took a step back- puffing up his chest proudly as he said, "And I'm not even done yet!"

Blinking in confusion, the five heroes looked at one another, neither knowing quite what he was talking about- and yet, curious, they looked back at the great owl...

Once more, the light had returned to the magnificent owl as he spread his wings out wide on either side of him, remaining standing and looking upwards as the light grew above him, compressing into a single, bright white circle of light... Blinded, the five Links squinted and shielded their eyes, looking briefly away as the light grew too bright to look at directly...

Only when it finally faded away did they open their eyes, lowering their hands and looking at the fading light which was lowering to the ground...

And when it finally had fully dissipated, landing down gently in front of the wise owl, did the Links see what had been hiding in the light... and the sight of it made their hearts leap in their chests, their eyes grow wide and their jaws drop.

As if awakening from a great, long sleep... her hands clasped daintily in front of her and her chin slightly bowed... Her eyelids fluttered, and beneath those long eyelashes, a pair of beautiful, shining blue eyes opened, looking with awakened shock and awe at what stood before her- and those who did, looking upon her with an even greater surprise, their hearts soaring high in the sky as they each shouted out her name.

_"ZELDA!-!-!"_

Choking out her name, the Four Sword Heroes leapt forward as one as they ran the short distance towards her, hardly believing their eyes- no, they wouldn't believe anything until they each knew that she was there, that she was finally safe. And as the four reached her, she finally awakened, and her eyes flew open, her mouth slightly agape as she understood- but before she could even say anything, the four children, her heroes- her Links- had ran up to her, each throwing their arms around her in a wide, jubilant hug, laughing and cheering and calling her name.

"L... Link...!" The princess managed to gasp aloud the name of her friend before the wide smile, the beautiful smile of Hyrule's Princess spread across her face- and, her cheeks squeezing tears of joys out of those eyes, she wrapped her small arms around the four of them, returning their hug.

"Th-thank the goddess, you're safe!" Red bawled out as he hugged the Princess tight.

"I... I guess I am," the Princess admitted quietly, still slightly confused, though grateful and happy nonetheless as she looked at the four Links, who stood back from their hug, wide smiles on their faces.

Rubbing away the redness in his face, Blue whirled away from Zelda- and, though he tried to act angry, couldn't hide a wide smile on his face as he roared at Kaepora, "You stupid owl! You told us she'd been kidnapped!"

"Really, now?" The owl asked in faint surprise, his eyes slightly widening. He then shrugged his wings, saying as he hid a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I remember no such thing."

"Why, you-!"

The Links, relaxed and excited, laughed at the funny exchange between the stubborn, bull-headed Link and their friend- their guide.

"The Princess..." His voice once more serious, calm and wise, the great owl Kaepora smiled as he looked over towards the small girl. "I have always known who she was. Not long before I found you Links... I knew she had to be protected. I have kept her safe as you heroes sought the elements... I only wish I had been there earlier," he added with a sigh, shaking his head as he remembered finding the child only moments after Veran had left her body, tricking the young hero Link into pulling the then-cursed Four Sword.

Despite himself, Green smiled, shaking his head. "Don't blame yourself, Kaepora," he said with a nod, his heart still jumping and his hands shaking with overwhelming relief and joy at the reveal of their dear friend and her safety. "You did wonderful. Everyone did."

However, while the words did indeed cheer up the great owl and the Links continued to smile, not long after Green spoke, a small silence drifted among them... and it wasn't long before they realized just why, as the two looked between the Princess... and the Shadow.

He had kept himself distant from them... from her... as they embraced and celebrated her return. Of course, upon seeing her, his own chest had frozen, somersaulted, and rejoiced all at once as had the others', but his feet remained bound to the ground, and he could not budge one inch towards her. What right did he have to do so, anyways? Doubt after doubt still lingered in his mind, and as he looked over her, memories poured through him- those he'd forgotten, those he remembered, and those that would never be able to leave him... no matter how hard he or anyone else tried.

Still... When he felt all eyes on him... his throat tightened up, and he knew there were expectations on his shoulders. His eyes narrowed slightly, his face slightly bitter, as he looked away, muttering, "I... I'm glad you're alright."

There was another silence between them- but it was not very long.

Calmly and quietly, the Princess took a few steps forward, the child of shadows raising his head lightly in surprise-

And not a moment later, the young girl threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly with a bright smile and tightly closed eyes.

"... Thank you, Shadow. For everything."

Stunned beyond words, Shadow could only open his eyes in shock, standing still- and though he could briefly see the others out of the corner of his eyes, smiling with satisfaction... it didn't matter. She was grateful to him... She acknowledged him, she showed her compassion... Swallowing away both his foolish, stubborn pride and the lump in his throat that had been there for longer than he could remember, he let himself close his eyes as he lightly hugged her back, his black locks of hair sweeping over his calmly, contently closed eyes.

"... You're welcome..."

Though it lasted only seconds, it felt like hours to him... Wonderful hours, when his broken soul was finally repaired. However, as she pulled away with a smile, he understood and let her go- then, noticing that the others were looking, quickly cleared his throat and looked away. The Links, for their part, chuckled under their breaths- but each were more than ready to allow Shadow his pride, as Zelda walked back towards the others, the seven figures standing in a circle around each other.

"Kaepora..."

Having remained relatively quiet for so long, the wisest of the Links smiled calmly as he once more turned towards the great owl.

"Thank you," Vio said with a nod, "for everything you've done. We couldn't have done any of this without you."

The other Links all nodded their agreement; even Shadow shrugged lightly as if to reluctantly admit it was true.

Chuckling lightly, Kaepora merely smiled as he said, "No thanks is necessary, my friends. Do you all remember what I first told you, why I came to you?" Though the Links looked at one another, one voice quietly spoke up.

"You're the messenger bird," Shadow teased lightly with a devilish, fanged grin.

"Not just that!" Kaepora hooted indignantly, with the others laughing. He smiled proudly as he said, "It's no coincidence that I was sent to help you. I am your Guardian; the Guardian of the Four Sword Hero. The Goddess herself ordained that I watch over you... And even in these times of peace, so I will always be watching over you."

A calm silence drifted out after Kaepora's words, but it was not filled with any kind of tension- instead, the Links all smiled warmly at each other, their hearts lifted by such knowledge that they had a guardian, a friend like Kaepora with them. That they had been blessed by the goddess herself with his protection, his guidance.

"And yet..."

Once more, the Links looked over towards the owl- but something in his voice piqued their curiosity, and they looked at him in interest as he spoke once more.

"There is one more place I must guide you to."

The words lightly surprised the Links, but, taking it in stride as they did everything else, smiles came on their faces and they nodded, willing and ready.

"Lead the way, Guardian," spoke the fair Princess Zelda with a smile as she looked up at him with glowing, youthful blue eyes. Humbled, the owl chuckled once before spreading his wings wide- and, nimbly taking to the skies, the great bird circled once above them before he slowly began to drift off to the side, a soft trail of light following his every wingbeat.

Despite the rubble... the darkness, the ruins... Despite everything around them which, even though the darkness had gone, tried to sink them into sorrows... Wearing smiles, and walking side-by-side, the six children turned and quietly, confidently, followed the light above them.

It wasn't a long walk.

They passed the rubble of the ruined Castle, and lightly found themselves passing through overhead trees, bushes, and overgrown grass. And yet, as they walked, each of them somehow knew, somewhere in the depths of their minds, where they were going. So when they finally arrived... When the owl landed on the perch of a nearby tree, his wings folding beside him and his eyesight looking down at them... Not a one of them was surprised.

"The Sanctuary..."

His voice was quiet, muttered beneath his breath as Shadow glanced up with his red eyes at the overgrown ruins before them. The stone pillars bordering the central cement pedestal... The stone steps leading up to it, with grass and flowers growing in between the cracks... Moss and overflowing branches climbing up and flowing over the side of the half-crumbled walls which lined the outside of the Sanctuary. It was the same as it had always been- and yet, as it always had been, the most noticeable feature, the center-point of the Sanctuary... The empty pedestal, its open slit staring up at the starry night sky above.

"So..."

The children turned to look towards who had spoken.

A small, weak smile had grown on their leader's face as he looked up and ahead at the empty pedestal. He took a deep breath and spoke again.

"It's time, huh?"

With that same smile, victorious yet sad, he looked back towards his team.

The mood around the five Links grew quiet and sullen; each of them knew, by the sight in front of them and by the words of their leader, just what would now have to happen. Their long journey... In the silence, each was, and knew the others were, thinking back about their long journey together. Learning to be not just a team of individuals... but individuals working as a team. One team...

One Link.

With a flutter of wings, the Links were snapped out of their thoughts as they followed with their eyes, watching Kaepora fly off his perch in the trees and land a few feet in front of them.

"Heroes... though you may already be aware of it..." His voice was once more calm and deep, serious and yet warm. He looked at each of them in turn as he spoke next.

"... This very well may be the last time you will see each other like this. Your world is at peace... And though no one can say what the future holds, I feel as if it will last for a very long time."

There was another pause...

"Heh, why're you saying that like it's a bad thing?"

The Links turned to who had spoken; Blue, flashing a grin and crossing his arms, said contently, "An era of peace? Sounds good to me. No complaints here."

The others, though agreeing deep down, looked at Blue with a confused, slightly conflicted frown.

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Blue turned on them as he said with a smirk, "Come on, guys. I'm not saying this hasn't been great. These experiences we've had..." he fell silent for a moment, then shook his head as he continued, "nothing can ever substitute for 'em. But... this is why we fight, isn't it?" He smirked once more. "Why we do all we've done. For peace."

Eagerly nodding, his smile brightening, Red chirped up loudly as he latched onto Blue's arm, "Yeah! You're right! I mean... This is what we've been working for all along! Peace for everyone, for our land..." He fell silent, as each of them remembered how all of this had started- how the lone Link, feeling isolated in the time of peace, had almost made a terrible mistake. However, he managed a smile as he finished, "We'll always have each other. But for our Kingdom..."

Joining in, Vio gave a calm, understanding nod. "This will always be what's best," he affirmed with a smile, looking from each of his friends to the next. "And... it may be best for us, as well. I wouldn't trade anything for the times we've had together..." he smiled and bowed his head. "But it may just be time for us to move on... Live our lives as Link. We've learned so much... so much that we could never forget."

Smiling and putting a hand over his friend's shoulder, Green smiled as he nodded, saying, "I agree... No matter what, we'll always be there. One person... Y'know, maybe that's why we were sent to do this, all along. To be a stronger, single person... And to keep Hyrule safe..." He chuckled a little to himself, shaking his head. "Maybe I'm sounding ridiculous. But maybe this all happened for a reason, too."

"Well, 'why'-ever it happened," Blue joked with a grin, slinging an arm around his friend's shoulder, "I'm glad it did."

It was then that the four Links noticed one of their own remaining quiet... with a sad smile, they turned towards Shadow- but blinked as they saw the great owl already facing him, and the child looking over at him silently with a hardened face.

Kaepora smiled as he spoke.

"Shadow Link... as one of the heroes," he spoke deeply, his voice warm and almost fatherly, "You, too, will merge back into the hero Link as the sword is sealed. Your soul is a part of theirs... and will always remain as such."

Curious as to how their friend would respond, the Links looked over at him...

And yet...

A small smirk was growing on the shadow's face, his arms still crossed. Lowering his head slightly, he allowed a small chuckle to escape his mouth as he replied.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, my friend."

Looking up at the others, his eyes as ready and determined as ever, Shadow gave them a nod as he spoke, "I'll go wherever you go." His smirk spread into a fanged grin as he finished, looking at his fellow Links, "And I'm ready to finally join you."

The Links were silent as these powerful words sunk in; each of them remembered both times in which they were forced to seal the sword without their friend. Without him to stand next to them and join them... And now, finally, he would be there, to finally be with the rest of his soul. And they would be ready to finally have their own soul complete... every part of their soul together.

Smiling boldly, taking a step forward, Blue grinned widely as he held a readied fist in front of him. "Then let's do this."

They were ready.

Ready to finally bring all of this to a close... And yet, they were not sad. Though it was a bittersweet feeling, to become one and no longer have the five of them in their wacky, wild, and dangerous adventures... there was an even stronger feeling among them which pulled them towards the pedestal, drove them towards this one, simple truth. The single desire to be together... The urge to come together and live their life as one person, to live in an era of peace... the peace they had worked so hard for.

The Four Sword Links... all Five of them, looking at one another... They each knew. The power of the Sword did not copy them into multiple people... it split them into multiple parts. They were each on their own an incomplete person... And ultimately... ultimately, they wanted to be complete. They wanted to be Link... And they were ready for it. For whatever their life would bring to them... they wanted to face it, and embrace it, together and as one.

It had been a wonderful ride... a grand adventure, and a treasure of an experience. But like all adventures, journeys and quests... it would ultimately come to an end.

And yet, though this adventure would come to a close...

They each knew...

Their new adventures, their life as _Link_... would only just begin.

Without a word, the Links found themselves walking towards the pedestal, the Princess standing where she was and watching them with a smile, crossing the grass and stepping onto the stone-ruin steps. Already, though their battle-worn swords had long since been sheathed at the end of their and hard-won fight, each of their hands were slowly closing around the hilts of their swords, bringing them out in front of them as they knew just what had to be done- what they wanted, what they needed to do.

Reaching the pedestal itself, the Four Sword Links smiled at one another as they held their swords in front of them, looking from one to the other, down to the pedestal, and-

-In surprise, the Links found themselves blinking, frozen in spot as they looked at what was standing in front of them.

Slightly frowning, having fallen behind them, Shadow stood a few feet away from them, watching them. He had stopped a few steps in front of the pedestal... And, his arms crossed, he seemed to refuse to come any closer.

"Shadow..." Red's voice was slightly quiet as, though he kept a smile, his eyes became almost morose as he looked at his friend, frozen in his tracks. "Come on... It's time to do this, together," he urged with a smile and a nod.

And yet... Bitter, still unable to find the reason and purpose behind it, Shadow frowned as he let his eyes settle on the Pedestal itself. And before any of them could speak again...

"... The One divides to Four... the Four unite as One."

Shadow's words came quiet, and, while they were refraining from anger, he could not hide the slight amount of sorrow, and perhaps even confusion, as he spoke the words he read plainly and clearly on the pedestal itself.

Despite all that had happened... Shadow closed his eyes, cursing himself, cursing his inability to accept all that he ever wanted, accept what was being shown to him and to stop finding ways to deny all of it. Unable to stop questioning himself... questioning the reason for his existence, the truth and the right or wrong behind his desire... 'The _Four_...'

"... Hm. Is that all?"

In surprise, Shadow looked up, blinking- and his jaw dropped at what he saw next.

After speaking rather dryly, Vio had knelt down by the pedestal, eyeing the ancient Hylian letters which spelled out the sentence. He tossed an almost devious smirk Shadow's way... then, turning back to the pedestal, lifted his sword and made two quick, minuscule slices across the surface of the rock, causing sparks and bits of rock to come flying off in result of the new indentions made in the old rock pedestal.

"W-what the hell are you doing?-!" Shadow shouted in surprise, hardly able to believe his eyes- or his ears, as they were now filled with the uproarious sounds of the other Links' laughter.

Vio grinned as he stand up, dusting off his hands, apparently proud of himself. "There," he said simply with a shrug. "Now it says 'Five'." And as the other Links, grinning from ear to ear, looked from Vio to Shadow, the quiet Link smiled as he finished, "What's written here, or anywhere, Shadow, doesn't matter. What matters is right here." In his open hand, he spread it out to himself and the other Links.

"What matters isn't written in stone, paper, or anything else. What matters is us, our hearts and our belief in each other."

Shadow was silent as he looked down, thinking about these words. The words of his friend... his wise, considerate friend... And as he looked in the eyes of the others, he knew they all felt the same, _knew_ the same... It was their words, and as far as Shadow was concerned... it was truth. When he had dashed aside all expectations of himself, all notions of "fate" and "destiny"... when he first remembered, and affirmed, the fact that his choices were his own, that his future would only be decided by him and him alone... So now, he felt this as truth as well. Whatever would be ordained as "right" or "wrong"... this feeling... This knowledge, of his friends and of himself... it could not be wrong.

Smiling, dashing every other doubt and fear aside, leaving behind all trails of guilt and regret... Shadow nodded as he walked forward, up to the others, standing right in front of the pedestal, as the other four stood on the other side, facing him with reassuring smiles.

With all these worries gone... Shadow gave a grin.

"Alright, then. Lead the way home."

Nothing else needed to be said.

The Five Links... standing next to one another, all in a circle around the Pedestal... They were each ready. More ready than they had ever been... To finalize the peace for their land, to begin rebuilding and protecting it in its era of peace... To continue, and begin, living their lives as one. And as the four swords were finally lifted, four sets of hands held high... the fifth one joined them as he set the palm of his hand on the collective tops of the hilts of their swords. Their five sets of eyes lifted high into the sky... The light of the setting moon shining down upon them, and the light of the rising sun from below lighting everything from beneath...

And, finally, they each closed their eyes.

In one final motion...

The four Swords, their slim and sharp ends pointed downwards, were thrust down with the power of each of the five Links, the aim of the blades true and unwavering as it slid evenly and perfectly through the single, empty slit in the stone.

And in that instant, as the Four blades fused together into one, sealing firmly in the pedestal... in that very moment, time itself seemed to freeze as light, emitting from the center of not the sword- not the pedestal- but the heroes themselves, suddenly and instantly engulfed everything in sight, blinding everything in the powerful, wonderful and magical light.

For as the blades came together as one...

So, finally, the did five pieces of the one child's soul unite and become one.

The bravery, courage, wisdom, heart, and inner light of the Hero...

After so long kept apart, now were finally together.

The light, though blinding, was one brighter than any could ever measure or compare as it engulfed everything in its path in its radiance, glory, and blessing. For in its powers, perhaps the greatest blessing of all was being bestowed upon those who had given so much for their land, for their people and for their kingdom. And while all others would have to shield their lights from the light... the five beings inside... fused into one... were those blessed with the privilege of basking in its center, receiving all its glory and peace.

And when it finally subsided... When the light, its blessing given and its task complete, slowly began to fade away, absorbing into every being and essence and returning to the world to its natural state...

In the silent and peaceful clearing of the Sanctuary, where birds flied by overhead and the grass grew tall and lush by the sides, the moss crawling over the stone walls and the morning, rising sun casting its beautiful, warm golden-red cascade of hues across the forest...

In the middle of the clearing, a single, stone pedestal served as its centerpiece, with a single, silver sword set firmly in its center. The hilt, golden with a multi-colored gem inset, was alit with the goldenrod colors of the morning sun... As well as the single, small hand which rested ever so lightly on top.

For standing in front of the pedestal and its sword, aglow with the fading light and the growing light of the day, was a single child, clad in green with a warrior's shield on his back, an empty hand by his side, and the other hand sitting gently on the hilt of the sword. The light wind gently tugged at the ends of his tunic, brushing aside his golden-blonde bangs...

And, when he finally felt he could wait no longer...

The young hero took a deep breath... and slowly tilted his chin downwards as his eyelids opened, and his pair of bright, youthful blue eyes looked downwards at the sword before him. A small smile was brought to his lips...

And, tilting his chin upwards, setting his sights across the Sanctuary and the forest around him...

Link, finally at peace and at home, in both his world and in himself, found himself smiling wide, his eyes bright and a warm, powerful flame burning strong in his chest. He wondered faintly if his smile couldn't get any bigger... And as the flood of emotions, memories, thoughts... _everything_... came rushing back to him, of all who he'd once been and who he always would be, he once more found his eyes glancing downwards at the sword which had started it all.

His smile grew fond, and, still yet to remove his hand from the sword, closed his eyes in reminiscence of all that had happened. The good times, the bad... The times of despair and sorrow, when all thoughts pointed to certain loss... And the times when, grouping around his friends and finding comfort in their words and presence, there were feelings of such certainty that they would freely oppose the world and come out the victor. Everything in between, nothing left out... All that had helped build them together as a team, as closer to one person.

All the feelings, thoughts, ideas, memories of Green, Blue, Red, Vio, and Shadow Link... He would never forget them, just as they would never forget each other. It was a lot to take in, all at once. But with a silent, dry laugh, Link thought- he was used to things like that, wasn't he? And throughout it all, one of his consistent strengths was being able to just go with it. Remembering all that each part of him had known, the feelings of each memory in turn coming up to the surface... It would all be just one more step in his adventure... his life.

Finally, his thoughts subsiding for now, Link gave a slow exhale as he opened his eyes once more, looking up-

-And stopped in their place. For a few feet in front of him, stood one lone figure- the small and undeniable form of the young Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.

Upon seeing their eyes meet, as if suddenly shy and sad, the Princess looked away and to the side. She could only imagine all that had happened whilst she was asleep, their wise guardian keeping her safe as they fought innumerable enemies and indescribable perils to free both her and her kingdom... And through it all, she could not bear nor bring herself to look at him, he who had sacrificed so much.

However, as Zelda shied away, Link, his blue eyes still as bright as before, merely smiled. He felt his hand drop from the hilt of the sword, and he didn't need to glance back as he walked down the steps and up to her, Zelda, his Princess... his friend. He was their Hero... this would always be truth. But he was also Link... and he was now ready to live his _life_ as Link. Calmly and gently, he leaned over, taking the Princess' idle hand in his own.

Surprised, Zelda looked up at him through wide eyes- but upon seeing his own eyes calm, content, and reassuring, even she could not help a similar smile coming across her own face as she looked sheepishly off to the side, a wetness beginning to form in her eyes. Still, looking back at him with her adoring eyes, she gave another nod. She took a small step backwards, ready to go. They had much work to do... But she was not at all afraid, intimidated, or concerned. For she held in her hand, the hand of a hero.

Smiling, Link nodded once as he took a step forward, the pair starting to walk together, their backs to the Sanctuary and their eyes ahead, on their Kingdom and on their future.

And yet...

Pausing for a second, the young hero couldn't help but hesitate, stopping himself before they'd gone a couple of steps. Knowingly, the Princess smiled, remaining silent for him.

Turning around once more, one last time, to face his adventures, his past and his blessing... Link looked upon the peaceful Sanctuary with wide, thankful eyes, the warmth in his chest growing by the second until he thought it might burst from him and spread across the land.

As he took a breath, he felt his breath shaky... And yet, exhaling, found it much calmer than before. His smile brightened as he looked at the sword- and then up to the morning sky.

"... Thank you... I'll never forget you... forget us..."

He found the words choking in his throat for a moment, but, with his eyes closed and a smile on his face, knew it would be without trouble that he could finish this... finish this right, and once and for all.

"I will _always_ be here."

The silence after his words seemed to stretch on forever, but it was one of contentment, his words seeping into every essence of the world around him as a solemn oath and promise. For all the trials he'd undergone, for the pain and sorrow, the joy and triumph... He would never forget any of it. And he would never forget who he fought for, what he strove to achieve... And he would always remain, always remain their hero and their warrior.

Satisfied, the knot in his throat from before gone- only to be replaced with an elated feeling of the future ahead of him- Link took another deep, smooth breath as he turned back around, facing his Princess. Once more taking her hand in his, the two children nodded once more to each other, and, silently, side by side, began to walk through the ruins and dirt, the grass and the flowers, towards the life ahead of them. Memories followed them every step of the way, and so their adventures would never be forgotten...

And in the bright and beautiful clearing of the Sanctuary, the proud Four Sword sat glistening in its pedestal, the ruins of pillars and walls stood careful watch over the priceless treasure, butterflies danced in the flowers which lined the clearing...

On top of it all, high in the skies, the single shadow of a large owl, its wide wings spread out and the sun glistening between its feathers, circled once over the Sword's final resting place...

With one final beat of its wings, the owl turned in the sky, its golden eyes catching the light of the dawning sun and age, and flew off in the direction the children had left, remaining high in the sky, above the trees and through the clouds... flying away until it was out of sight.

And in the end...

... Everything was at peace.

* * *

><p><strong>And so it shall always remain in peace. :)<strong>

**Once again… I wish I could scream it from the heavens, thank you all so much. Though this past year has been rough on me, I'm glad to have taken this challenge of a fic on, and to have written it and presented it all to you. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, as I can't even begin to describe just how wonderful of an experience writing this story- and reading ya'll's reviews- has been for me. ^^**

**Though I wish I could say for certain whether or not I will be writing another story, one-shots, fics, etc. again, I know this time I can't make such a promise. I want to keep on writing, so I will do my best to keep doing so- and if I ever have plans for another story, rest assured I will be letting you all know. :) **

**However, to say it "officially": This is the last Four Sword fic I will be doing. As far as I am concerned, the story of the five Links ends here- and Link moves on to live his life as a single, fused person, rebuilding and living in a time of peace and prosperity. Everything has come full circle… And I am ready to bring their adventures to a close. I have learned so much from writing these wonderful characters. But, like Link himself said… His adventures in his own life, just like everyone else's life, have only just begun. We all live our own adventures each day of our lives. **

**Lastly, I'd like to thank The Great Mikey Weston for their help beta reading the first half of Reminiscence. She is awesome and I really appreciate her help. :) Thank you!**

**One last time… Before I talk your ears off, that is. P: Thanks so much. I had a blast, and these Links, and all you readers, have left me so much more for the better than before I started all this. I will try to reply to everyone's reviews, and like always, I appreciate every single one of them. :3 In the words of our hero, "I'll never forget you." **

**Signing off,**

**-Tiggz**


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